A thank-you note lands better than you think
What they found
People who wrote gratitude letters consistently underestimated how surprised and happy the recipients would be - and overestimated how awkward the recipients would feel.
How they know
Several experiments had people write short thank-you notes to someone who mattered, predict the recipient's reaction, and then the researchers asked the recipients themselves.
What it means for you
That message you keep not sending - to a mentor, a friend, someone who helped once - will land warmer than you expect. The awkwardness is only in the sender's head.
The limits
Mostly US samples and short notes; the effect is about miscalibration, so if you already expect it to go well, there is less of a gap to correct.
This is a short takeaway in our own words, not a reproduction of the study. For the method, the sample and the caveats, read the original. Mind lives inside the Booking Minds app under the brain icon, where you can save and share each piece.