Interesting Facts about Gift-Giving

Researchers have discovered that there is a positive impact on the brain of a gift-giver.

When you give a gift, particularly to someone with whom you share a close relationship, it activates the brain's reward center, leading to the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and joy. This influx of positive emotions contributes to an improved overall sense of well-being and nurtures a feeling of fulfillment.

Several studies in the past decade have shown that spending money on others, rather than oneself, contributes to feelings of happiness. This is because acts of generosity, whether it involves donating to charity or giving a loved one a desired holiday gift, lead to creating more interaction between the parts of the brain associated with processing social information and feeling pleasure.

In a study conducted by researchers at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, 50 participants were given $100, with half instructed to spend it on themselves and the other half on someone else over the next four weeks. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was then used to measure brain activity associated with generosity and pleasure during a social sharing task. The results showed that those who spent money on others had more generous and fair interactions with other people and reported higher levels of happiness after the experiment was over.

Oftentimes, people refer to it as the ‘warm glow,’ this intrinsic delight in doing something for someone else,” said Simon-Thomas, who studies the neuroscience and psychology of compassion, kindness, and gratitude. “But part of the uniqueness of the reward activation around gift-giving compared to something like receiving an award or winning money is that because it is social it also activates pathways in the brain that release oxytocin, which is a neuropeptide that signals trust, safety, and connection. It’s often referred to as the ‘cuddle hormone.’