Considering there is a void in the literature for the social effects of giving and receiving respect, this thesis presented important new evidence that the experience of respect can elevate mood and openness values. My findings support my argument that respect is a social commodity that has value. As societies endeavour to nudge their citizens in a more prosocial direction, a focus on respect could prove useful in schools, public services, and corporations and NGOs and civil society in general. In our current political climate, we see evidence of increased polarization of public views. To tackle environmental and social problems, we overlook the importance of respect in mood and values at our peril. My thesis embarks on a journey to develop the respect construct via a qualitative study, and thereafter to investigate the effects on self-esteem, mood, values and prosocial behaviour when respect is received, and given. Four quantitative studies measure the effects on the receiver, while one study measured the effects on participants administering respect to others. I conducted a meta-analysis on the similar studies to determine the results more conclusively. Still, there are other questions waiting to be addressed. For instance, how much respect must be received for the recipient to feel respected? Are there stages or levels of feeling respected? Is there a threshold at which accumulated respect creates the feeling of respect? Is that threshold static, or is it a moving target that requires progressively more stimuli in order to push the recipient into a feeling of being respected? How long do the feelings of respect and being respected last?