What is the Psychology Behind Gift-Giving

When we hear the word “gift”, a box wrapped with colourful paper & ribbon comes into our mind. But it is much more than just a visual treat or a materialistic item. A present contains a huge amount of emotional value for both the receiver and sender. For a receiver, a gift acts as a sign of positive reinforcement, or in simple terms, a gesture that shows the sender’s thoughts towards them. From an “A+ grade on the report” candy bar to a “will you marry me” diamond ring, a gift could be anything that a receiver likes. However, in the case of a sender, the psychology of gifting takes a little more complicated turn. So, let’s see what a sender actually thinks or feels when he/she gives a gift -

Wave of Emotions

Happiness is an emotion that both sender and the receiver share in the process of gifting. But, a sender feels a lot more than just happiness! When a person searches for a gift, not only do they invest time, effort & of course money, but they also wrap the gift with love, care, gratitude and kindness. This wave of heart-filling emotions also includes the feeling of ‘nice to being nice’ towards the receiver.

The Feeling of a Stronger Bond

When your heart feels the above-mentioned wave of emotions, you become more thoughtful towards the person and the gift. This thoughtfulness deepens your bond with the receiver, which results in making your bond with your close ones more meaningful and stronger. The process of gift-giving also acts as a bridge between individuals, which makes them more confident and open toward each other.

Build a Better Understanding

The process of understanding and gifting are interwoven into one another. When you think of giving a gift to someone, you start your train of thoughts with “what would they like?”. This thought gives you a trip down memory lane where you explore the life events of that person. And by the end of this journey, you feel more understanding and confident regarding what to gift.

Expectations from your Gesture

Humans have a natural tendency to think about the future results of their actions. So, when you put all your efforts and thoughts into a gift, it is somewhere possible that you expect things in return. Depending on an individual mindset, reciprocation of a gift could be expected in any form. From a verbal thank you to a return gift, some of us might want a little bit of push to show more gestures in future.