In recent years, the positive impact of participation in charitable activities on the happiness of the contributing individual has been widely acknowledged by the public, self-help groups, and social organizations. This is in contrast to some studies which suggest that happier individuals tend to be more generous and more actively involved in charitable activities. Based on this, the primary objective of this study is to examine the positive and cyclical feedback between participation in charitable activities and the feeling of happiness. This study is a survey-based research using descriptive-analytical methods. The statistical population includes all citizens aged 15 and above in the city of Kashan, and the sample size was estimated using the assumptions of the Sample Power software. Accordingly, 220 questionnaires were shared online within the statistical population and completed by the participants. The findings of the study show a positive and significant relationship between the level of participation in charitable activities and the feeling of happiness (r = 0.359), indicating that increased participation in charitable activities is associated with higher happiness levels in the community. Furthermore, the analysis of the recursive model suggests a bidirectional relationship between the two variables—participation in charitable activities and happiness—meaning that these variables mutually reinforce each other. The stability index of 0.247 also indicates the establishment of equilibrium in this relationship, referring to the continued and sustainable effect of this mutual influence between the variables.
The results of this study highlight the importance of participating in charitable activities to enhance happiness on both individual and societal levels. Therefore, it is recommended that policymakers and social institutions design programs to facilitate citizens' participation in charitable activities so that this positive cycle is reinforced within society.