According to a recent study, small gifts like chocolate can be more effective than a conversation in lifting someone’s mood.
Daily Mail reported that researchers from HEC Montreal in Canada, the University at Albany in New York, and Duke University in the United States conducted a study involving over 3,600 participants. They found that giving gifts offers greater comfort during difficult times than having conversations.
In one experiment, participants imagined a stressful scenario: someone had crashed into their car and asked a friend for support. Surprisingly, those who were told their friend could not talk but would send a gift reported feeling better than those who expected a phone call.
In another experiment, pairs of participants were formed, with one individual signaling they needed emotional support. Some were offered small gifts like chocolates, while others had short conversations. The results showed that those who received gifts reported a significantly higher mood than those who only talked.
The researchers believe this occurs because recipients perceive gifts as a greater “sacrifice.” Gifts offer more concentrated benefits to the receiver than to the giver. The lead researcher and assistant professor Holly Howe explained, “When people think about sacrifice, they take the sacrificer’s motives into account.” She further explained that the recipient assumes the giver’s motivation is more altruistic, with no direct gain for the giver.
“It does not matter what you give or how much it costs,” Howe added, emphasizing that the thought and time invested resonates. The recipient feels cared for and recognizes the effort taken, regardless of how modest the token may be.
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