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Why the Joy of Giving Lasts Longer Than the Joy of Getting
We are all familiar with the positive feelings that usually accompany receiving a gift in some form from someone. Similarly, our positive feelings and joy can accompany our giving to others. But do the joy and happiness with those acts last the same?
The joy and happiness from a specific event or activity lessen with each repeated experience is known as “hedonic adaptation.”
However, a study in Psychological Science, a publication of the Association for Psychological Science, suggests that this might not apply to acts of giving. Researchers Ed O’Brien of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and Samantha Kassirer of Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management conducted two studies. They discovered that happiness levels in participants who frequently gave gifts remained stable or decreased more slowly compared to those who repeatedly received the same gifts.
O’Brien states, “Past research indicates that for sustained happiness, varying our experiences is key. Our findings suggest that what we do repeatedly, particularly giving, can continually feel new and enjoyable.” “If you want to sustain happiness over time, past research tells us that we need to take a break from what we’re currently consuming and experience something new. Our research reveals that the kind of thing…
