People who thank others excessively for even the smallest favor are showing a high degree of emotional sensitivity, according to psychology experts who have studied the behavior. Researchers say the habit reveals how a person processes their emotions, and that it carries both a positive and a negative side.
The pattern the experts describe is familiar to many: someone does a small favor, and the recipient responds with what feels like endless words of thanks, unable to stop expressing gratitude. It can look like simple courtesy, but mental health specialists say it is worth a closer look.
The positive side of constant thanking
On the favorable side, psychologists say that thanking people constantly can show that a person is attentive and values even minor gestures from others. It also reflects empathy, since the person takes into account the feelings and needs of others and tries to treat them with respect, appreciating the time someone gave up to help them.
Findings from a Korean psychology journal
On the negative side, a study published in the Korean Journal of Psychology found that people who have developed the habit of thanking others excessively also tend to have developed significant anxiety and frequent stress affecting every area of their lives, the researchers reported.
Psychologists say these patterns show up because such people fear causing annoyance, feel they are a burden, or need to feel approved of by others. In simple terms, the individual tries to please others and make sure no one feels uncomfortable about the favor they were given, according to the specialists.
A possible sign of low self-esteem
Taken together, the experts say, this behavior can point to low self-esteem. Emotional sensitivity, the trait at the center of the findings, refers broadly to how deeply a person registers and reacts to emotional experiences, a subject long studied within psychology.
The specialists concluded that gratitude remains a quality valued by everyone, since expressing thanks shows appreciation for others. But they said that does not mean a person should overwhelm the other party with it. Keeping the habit in check, they said, is always worthwhile.
