Gift Giving

A series of interesting journal article abstracts from Rolf Degen on the behavioral economics of gift-giving:

• Just saying “have a nice day” to a stranger helped people have a nicer day themselves.
• Gift-givers are often too much focussed on the moment of the gift handover to achieve the optimal impact.
• More sloppily wrapped gifts can make for happier recipients.
• Gift-givers fail to anticipate that receivers would appreciate even partial gifts wholeheartedly.
• Small gifts do markedly lubricate business relationships.
• Compliments and individual expressions of appreciation achieve greater net reciprocal benefits than monetary gifts.
• Small gifts do actually serve as “oil” to lubricate business negotiations
• Compliments and individual expressions of appreciation achieve greater net reciprocal benefits than monetary gifts.
• People often fail to give gifts that achieve endurable satisfaction because they are so zealous to induce an enthusiastic instant smile.
• Experiential gifts bolstered relationships more strongly than material ones.
• Motivated gifts, which are given away with the hope of getting support in return, backfire, making recipients less likely to provide help.

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