Appreciation (Topic)

This is an overview of existing (and planned) articles and posts on the topic of “appreciation”. Categories include “Appreciation and Appreciative Inquiry”, “Appreciation as Character Strength”, and “Types of Appreciation”

“Appreciation” is a word that that can be understood in many ways, and is used in many different contexts. The text below points to all the main articles and posts that contain substantial information about the word “appreciation”.

PART 1: THE ARTICLES

1. What Does the Word ‘Appreciation’ Mean? What different meanings can the word “appreciation” have, according to the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary?
2. More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’: What does the word “appreciation” mean, according to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language? And what does it have in common with the entry in the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary?
3. Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’: How do Abraham-Hicks interpret the word “appreciation”? And how do the entries in the SOED and AHD compare??
4. On ‘Appreciation’ in Positive Psychology: What is the current status of the word “appreciation” in the academic field of positive psychology?

PART 2: THE IDEAS

In my own writings, the word “appreciation” is mainly connected to the following points:

• Appreciation and Appreciative Inquiry (AI)
• Appreciation as Action
• Appreciation as Awareness
• Appreciation as Character Strength
• Appreciation as Critique
• Appreciation as Gratitude
• Appreciation as Perception
• Appreciation as a Feeling
• Appreciation as a Level of Value
• Appreciation as a Statement
• Appreciation as a Thought
• Appreciation as a Vibration
• Appreciation as an Emotion
• Appreciation as an Increase in Value
• Gratitude Is Not Appreciation
• Types of Appreciation

For each of these subheads, I will below list all those articles (blog posts, book reviews, Dear Chris posts, etc.) that discuss that particular point.

For each article I will also “index” it, by concisely describing what I said in that article, in relation to that particular point.

Appreciation and Appreciative Inquiry (AI)

1. The important paper “Appreciative Inquiry in Organizational Life” was published in 1987 by David Cooperrider and Suresh Srivastva. See: On ‘Appreciation’ in Positive Psychology.
2. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) can be described as a procedure for change in organizations. See: On ‘Appreciation’ in Positive Psychology.
3. Appreciative Inquiry is not about the past, but about looking forward, in a positive way. See: On ‘Appreciation’ in Positive Psychology.
4. Some schools are already using AI. See: On ‘Appreciation’ in Positive Psychology.

Appreciation as Action

1. The meaning of the SOED-2 item (“The action of estimating; deliberate judgement”) is related to the action of estimating, in general. See: What Does the Word ‘Appreciation’ Mean?
2. In “appreciation as perception” it only seems possible to positively appreciate. Thus, it seems impossible to negatively appreciate (someone or something). See: What Does the Word ‘Appreciation’ Mean?
3. The meaning of the the SOED-1 item (“The action of setting a money value upon; appraisement”) seems to have been derived from the more general meaning of the SOED-2 item (“The action of estimating; deliberate judgement”). See: What Does the Word ‘Appreciation’ Mean?
4. In the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, there is only one species of “Appreciation as Action”, and that is the AHD-1a item (“The act of estimating the qualities of people and things.”). See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.
5. It is a nice bonus that the AHD-1a item, compared to the SOED-2 item, uses the word “quality”. For this makes it more clear that the evaluation is about the quality of someone or something. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.

Appreciation as Awareness

1. There are two reasons why the AHD-3 item is, I think, better than the SOED-3 item. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.
2. That tells us that the SOED-3 item is about the internal, conscious experience (of someone or something), and that that experience is then evaluated in a positive way. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.
3. So “appreciation” may be understood as the internal, conscious, and positive experience of external objects and events. These are reported by one’s five senses, and guided by one’s cognitive abilities. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.
4. The word “awareness” is better than “perception”. For it conveys better, I think, that the objects of our observations are not merely external ones (as I think the word “perception” may imply), but that such objects also may be “situated” within our minds. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.

Appreciation as Character Strength

1. Positive psychology uses the idea of “character strength”, and that idea comes from the field of virtue ethics, and, ultimately, from Aristotle. See: On ‘Appreciation’ in Positive Psychology.
2. The idea behind “character strength” is that it may provide “protection” and “endurance” in hard times. See: On ‘Appreciation’ in Positive Psychology.
3. Because “appreciation” may provide “protection” and “endurance” in hard times, it may be regarded as a character strength. See: On ‘Appreciation’ in Positive Psychology.
4. One variety of “appreciation” is the one where one appreciates beauty and excellence in all its variety. This may pertain to almost anything: human inventions, artistic abilities, knowledge, or virtues; or the variety and qualities of nature itself. See: On ‘Appreciation’ in Positive Psychology.

Appreciation as Critique

1. The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary does not have an item that corresponds to the AHD-4 item (“An expression of criticism; critique.”). See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.
2. The AHD-4 item and its word “expression” gives me the impression that the person who is appreciating is also expressing his appreciation outwardly, in a (commonly understandable) message. Therefore it seems appropriate to categorize this meaning as an “appreciation as a statement”. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.

Appreciation as Gratitude

1. In the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary there is no item that directly compares to the AHD-2 item (“Gratefulness; gratitude.”). See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.
2. There is something about “thankfulness” that is to be seen in the AHD-2 item. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.
3. In the AHD-2 item, just as in the AHD-3 item, we are involved in an “awareness” of something. But here in the AHD-2 item, we are, more specifically, the observer, and “recipient”, of a pleasurable behavior offered by someone else. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.
4. Because of this, I consider the AHD-2 item simply to be a special case of the AHD-3 item. And therefore it seems perfectly logical to categorize them both as “appreciation as awareness or perception”. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.
5. We need to think of the word “gratitude” not just in one way, but in two ways (or more). Thus, I will in the following talk about gratitude-1 and gratitude-2. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.
6. The main idea expressed in gratitude-1 is that the opposite party does not save the “recipient” by his or her action. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.
7. The main idea expressed in gratitude-2 is that the opposite party does save the recipient by his or her action. For the recipient was in a troublesome spot, and the offered action helped (partly or wholly) solve that situation. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.

Appreciation as Perception

1. Here the word “perception” indicates the usage of our five senses. See: What Does the Word ‘Appreciation’ Mean?
2. The word “impressions” might indicate an evaluation of (special) visual or auditory impressions , using our eyes and ears. See: What Does the Word ‘Appreciation’ Mean?
3. Do the editors (of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary) propose that our feelings (or emotions) are part of a typical “appreciation as perception”? See: What Does the Word ‘Appreciation’ Mean?
4. The third item in the AHD is, I think, better than the third item in the SOED. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.
5. So this meaning of the word “appreciation” is an “internal affair”, only or mostly. It’s a conscious experience that is evaluated (internally) in a positive manner. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.
6. One way to understand the word “appreciation” would be to say that it points to a person’s positive experience of persons and things, as reported by his or her senses, and other cognitive faculties. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.
7. The word “perception” may be understood to include external objects only, or mostly. But the word “awareness”, in my view, does not carry the same restriction. So “awareness”, to me, indicates that the objects that we observe and evaluate might very well be within our minds. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.

Appreciation as a Feeling

1. My take on the matter, for now, is that Abraham-Hicks use the word “emotion” as a synonym for the word “feeling”. Conversely, they use the word “feeling” as a synonym for the word “emotion”. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.
2. Thus, when they speak about “a feeling of appreciation”, I interpret that as “an emotion of appreciation”. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.
3. Therefore, in my estimation, when taking part of the teachings of Abraham-Hicks, we can interpret the phrase “feeling of appreciation” as being synonymous with the phrase “emotion of appreciation”. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.
4. In my view, the first of the two instances of the word “appreciation” would be an “appreciation as a thought”. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.
5. The basic idea apparently is that the thought somehow generates a “feeling of appreciation”. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.
6. So there is clear cause and effect involved: first the thought, then the emotion. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.
7. This cause and effect is always there, because human life is all about deliberate creation using Law of Attraction, according to Abraham-Hicks. Emotions and feelings are (fine-physical) manifestations of thoughts. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.

Appreciation as a Level of Value

1. We might consider the SOED-4 item (“Adequate or high estimation”) to be an estimation of a certain “quantity” (or “level”) of appreciation. See: What Does the Word ‘Appreciation’ Mean?
2. In addition to categorizing it as “a level of value”, we could also categorize it as “a result”. For the process of estimating produces, or generates, a certain level of value, and that level of value is a result. See: What Does the Word ‘Appreciation’ Mean?
3. “Appreciation as a level of value” might be thought of as a “part 2”, when compared to “appreciation as perception”. So first we internally perceive and evaluate, after which we then, sometimes, end up with a positive appreciation (whether of an “adequate” or a “high” sort). See: What Does the Word ‘Appreciation’ Mean?
4. The SOED-4 item for “appreciation” (“Adequate or high estimation”) seems to have no similar “brother” item in the AHD entry for “appreciation”. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.

Appreciation as a Statement

1. To me, the AHD-1b item (“A judgment or opinion”) is not an action. Rather, “appreciation as a statement” is a result of the previously performed action of conscious evaluation. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.
2. A statement is a linguistic expression. And that expression can be produced either in the form of sound (as in an utterance), or in some written form (to be read). See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.
3. Another way of categorizing “appreciation as a statement” would be to regard it as a “result”. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.
4. The usage of the word “expression” in the AHD-4 item (“An expression of criticism; critique.”) seems to indicate that we are here dealing with an “appreciation as a statement”. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.

Appreciation as a Thought

1. The first occurrence of the word “appreciation” is probably an “appreciation as a thought”. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.
2. The basic idea appears to be that the “feeling of appreciation” is produced or generated by the thought. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.
3. So in terms of causality, the thought precedes the feeling (or emotion). See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.
4. In the Abraham-Hicks material, the word “appreciation” might be understood as a thought. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.
5. This second quote seems to verify our idea that the phrase “thoughts of appreciation” can be understood as a thought. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.

Appreciation as a Vibration

1. After these passages, it seems clear that Abraham-Hicks use the word “appreciation” also in the sense of a vibration. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.

Appreciation as an Emotion

1. Since the word “appreciation” can be found on the emotional scale that Abraham-Hicks use all the time, from Ask and It Is Given and onward, we have to conclude that the word “appreciation” is used in the sense of an emotion. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.
2. That Abraham-Hicks use “appreciation” in the sense of an emotion does not mean, of course, that they do not use “appreciation” in other senses. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.
3. So their idea, it seems, is that there is a cause and effect. The thought comes first, and then the emotion follows. It’s deliberate creation. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.
4. The emotions (or feelings) can be understood as manifestations. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.

Appreciation as an Increase in Value

1. In the SOED-5 item (“Rise in exchangeable value”) we are not talking about a level of value per se, but about an increase in value, a difference of value, in reference to some previous level. See: What Does the Word ‘Appreciation’ Mean?
2. “Appreciation as in increase in value” might also be understood as a “result”. See: What Does the Word ‘Appreciation’ Mean?
3. Although the SOED-5 item (“Rise in exchangeable value”) and the AHD-5 item (“A rise in value or price.”) are phrased somewhat differently, they are quite similar in meaning. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.

Gratitude Is Not Appreciation

1. In the view of Abraham-Hicks, the words “appreciation” and “gratitude” are not synonyms. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.
2. For Abraham-Hicks, the AHD-2 item for “appreciation” does not work. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.
3. “Gratefulness” or “gratitude” are, in their eyes, not a proper “stand-in” for the word “appreciation”, in the default case. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.
4. But if we radically limit the meaning of “gratitude” to include gratitude-1 only (that is, “clean” gratitude), we might think of the AHD-2 item as compatible with the teachings of Abraham-Hicks. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.
5. But in Abraham-Hicks’s world, gratitude-2 will not work as a synonym for “appreciation”. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.

Types of Appreciation

1. There are four ways to understand the word “appreciation”: as perception, as an action, as a level of value, or as an increase in value. See: What Does the Word ‘Appreciation’ Mean?
2. If we use the category of “results” instead of the categories of “level of value” and “increase in value”, there are three ways to understand the word “appreciation”: as perception, as an action, or as a result. See: What Does the Word ‘Appreciation’ Mean?
3. We can interpret the noun “appreciation” in six different ways: as awareness or perception, as saved-gratitude, as an action, as a statement, as a level of value, or as an increase in value. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.
4. If we use the category of “results” instead of “statement”, “level of value”, and “increase in value”, we can understand the word “appreciation” in four ways: as awareness or perception, as saved-gratitude, as an action, or as a result. See: More on the Meaning of the Word ‘Appreciation’.
5. When using the word “appreciation”, Abraham-Hicks may mean several things: an emotion, a feeling, a thought, or a vibration. See: Abraham-Hicks on the Meaning of ‘Appreciation’.

REFERENCES

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