November 13 is designated as World Kindness Day. This day, established in 1998 by a group of charitable organizations, encourages individuals to perform intentional acts of kindness.
Observed Impacts of Kindness
Acts of kindness have been reported to significantly influence individuals. One instance involved Maymunah Yusuf Kadiri, a neuro-psychiatrist in Nigeria, who, as a young doctor in 2004, received a biscuit and water from an elderly cleaner during a demanding emergency room shift. Kadiri noted that this gesture underscored the importance of human connection in healing processes.
Another example involves Huguette Diakabana, who, at age 10, could not afford school fees. An anonymous school guard paid her fees, enabling her to continue her education. Diakabana later established a scholarship program, inspired by the guard's request for her to help others when possible.
The Spread of Kindness
Dr. Junaid Nabi, a physician-scientist, describes acts of kindness as having a ripple effect, spreading through social networks. Research indicates that individuals who receive kindness are approximately 25% more likely to assist others.
A notable observation occurred in December 2012 at a Tim Hortons coffeehouse in Winnipeg, Canada. A customer paid for the coffee order of the subsequent customer, initiating a chain where 226 consecutive customers engaged in similar acts of kindness. Studies on such "pay it forward" phenomena suggest that generosity towards strangers can be socially contagious, potentially driven by receiving or witnessing help. This process is referred to as "social contagion."
Findings from the 2025 World Happiness Report, based on surveys across 147 countries, indicate that performing kind acts without an expectation of gain can enhance an individual's sense of well-being.
Origins and Cultivation of Kindness
The development of kindness involves both innate tendencies and learned behaviors. Jeff R. Temple, a professor and psychologist at UTHealth Houston, integrates kindness as a core component in his research on healthy relationships among adolescents and young adults. Intervention programs, such as the Fourth R and other school-based curricula, aim to teach adolescents skills such as perspective-taking, expressing care during disagreements, and recognizing the impact of their actions. These are identified as behavioral expressions of kindness, contributing to reduced bullying behaviors among participants.
Benefits for the Giver
Kindness can also impact the individual performing the act. Dr. Nabi recounted his experience as a Red Cross volunteer during the 2013 Savar building collapse in Bangladesh. This event, involving the rescue of 2,400 individuals and significant loss of life, profoundly altered his professional approach. Witnessing extreme human suffering and acts of mutual support in critical conditions reportedly shifted his perspective from a mechanistic view of clinical work to one emphasizing presence and compassion for patients. He advocates for medical professionals to engage in humanitarian volunteering to develop compassion.
The practice of kindness is observed to benefit recipients and inspire them to replicate such actions, potentially fostering a broader environment of compassion.