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The Benefits of Giving
The Benefits of Giving
16-Jan-2022
Giving a gift isn’t just about a material transfer. There are also measurable social and neurological benefits. Gifts “reinforce bonds and relationships between people,” says Dr Mark Williams, professor of cognitive neuroscience at Macquarie University.
According to Mark, people have been giving gifts to connect with one another throughout most of human history. “Back when we were in small tribal groups, women traditionally would have given fruits and nuts to men, and men would have given meat to women. They would [also] give gifts to tribes they wanted to have relationships with. That’s how it all evolved.”
The effect is also chemical. One study from the University of Zurich discovered even making a plan to spend money on another person enhances activity in the areas of the brain that link altruism and happiness. According to Mark, we get a release of dopamine when giving and receiving gifts – which means gift-giving creates pleasure. “That dopamine interacts with our memory centres,” he adds. A good gift can reinforce a positive impression of the giver, creating a stronger bond in the long run.
Gift-giving isn’t always a straightforward, happy exchange, though. What if you give a bad one?
“There’s always the negative side,” says Mark. “We have a lot of anxiety around giving gifts, because it is such an important aspect of having an ‘in-group’,” – a close community of people with shared interests and values.
According to Viren Swami, professor of social psychology at Anglia Ruskin University, there are two sides to the gift-giving paradigm. One is ‘recipient-centric’, “where you try to find a gift that reflects the qualities or interests of the person receiving the gift.” And the other is ‘giver-centric’, “where you are focused on giving something that reflects [your] own personality or discloses something about you as an individual.”
“But which option is better?” Viren ponders. Surprisingly, giver-centric gifts tend to be preferred by receivers. “Rather than trying to prove how much you know a person by buying something you think they will like, there’s greater meaning in giving gifts that reflect your own personality or likes,” he concludes.
Gifts can be a great way of strengthen the relationship. Exchange gifts among people, it will bring happiness. Life is about being happy.
Health wellness and happiness in life is most important.
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