Have you ever helped a coworker proofread an email, lent a neighbor a book, or picked up coffee for a friend, only to realize you felt a little closer to them afterward? It seems counterintuitive. Most of us assume we do favors for people because we already like them. But psychology suggests the relationship can also work in reverse.
Researchers have long studied a phenomenon known as the Ben Franklin Effect, which proposes that doing someone a small, voluntary favor can actually increase your affection for that person. The idea may sound surprising, but decades of psychological research suggest there's more to it than simple kindness.
