The 4 biggest mistakes when giving gifts, according to a consumer psychologist. A gift certificate can spark a wave of happiness and gratitude in the recipient. Giving is also pleasurable, with psychologists finding that the joy of being given a gift is more pronounced than the joy of receiving one.
Unfortunately, there are times when you receive a gift and you have to force a smile and pretend to be grateful.
I’m a consumer psychologist specializing in gift research, specifically gift fallacies.
Here are four of the most popular.
Priority big reveal
One way the giver can go wrong is by focusing too much on when the recipient will open the gift.
Donors want their gift to be desired. They hope to surprise the recipient and make them smile.
The chocolate fondue fountain can fulfill these criteria – it is original and is sure to spark the curiosity and smile of the viewer. When people receive a gift, however, they care less about when the bow is pulled and instead think about the weeks and months ahead.
People want useful and reliable gifts that meet their needs.
How often will a chocolate fondue fountain be of practical use?
Compare that to a new, everyday coffee maker. Sure, it’s nothing new – and probably won’t elicit “oohs” and “ahhs” on Christmas Day . But recipients will be delighted to have it on hand when their alarm clock goes off. every morning.
The unique and the new are overrated
Another factor that can mislead gift-givers involves the unwritten rules of what constitutes good gift-giving practices.
Sponsors often focus on these rules more than necessary. For example, they might avoid giving someone the same gift two years in a row, as that goes against the standard of giving a single gift each year. Donors also often refrain from giving used products as gifts, as this violates the unwritten rule that the gift must be new. On the other hand, recipients are quite open to gifts that violate these standards.
If someone enjoys a certain wine, they will be happy to receive it for years to come. And if one is a little-used digital camera with some improved features, while another is new but with fewer features, people will happily pick up the used camera.
Risk-averse
Donors can make the mistake of avoiding gifts they consider too risky.
Consider sentimental gifts, such as scrapbooks or nostalgic mementos.
Studies have shown that recipients love these gifts; they elicit happiness in the long run.
However, donors tend to avoid sentimental gifts because they see them as risky – sure, they can be a treat, but they can also smell. Doubts can creep into a buyer’s mind when considering sentimental gifts:
What if it looks like tree sap? What if the recipient thinks I’m cheap?
And so people tend to opt for more superficial, secure gifts that they think will at least be appreciated. Or, to continue with the baseball analogy, the dealers are happy to take a safe single hand.
As another example, consider material wealth versus experience. When giving gifts, people often choose tangibles over experiences because material possessions are safer – almost anyone can use a new device or shirt. More sophisticated experiments; they need to understand a little more about who the real recipient is – not everyone likes going to see a symphony.
However, recipients tend to be more open to experiences than givers expect — and these gifts are actually more likely to make people happy than material possessions.
Is thinking really important?
Donors may also mistakenly want their gift to seem particularly thoughtful.
Sure, recipients appreciate kindness — but not at the expense of receiving something truly useful.
This happens when sponsors buy for multiple people. They will often choose unique gifts for each recipient rather than giving the same gift to everyone because a unique gift for each person will make them feel like they are spending more time and effort on the person. gift selection. People do this even though they realize that some recipients will receive less desirable gifts. You will also see this happen with gift cards. Donors often choose specific gift cards—for a particular clothing store or restaurant, for example—that reflect the recipient’s preferences or tastes.
But recipients are more open to gift cards giving them more flexibility and freedom — think Amazon or Visa gift cards. That way, they can decide to splurge on a new sweater, go out to dinner at their favorite restaurant, or do both 카지노사이트.