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SupportingPeer-reviewed experimental research· Peer-reviewed

Give a Piece of You: Gifts That Reflect Givers Promote Closeness

Aknin, L. B., & Human, L. J. (2015). Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 60, 8–16. DOI: 10.1016/j.jesp.2015.04.006.

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Summary

People generally prefer giving and receiving gifts that reflect the recipient's own interests, but this research found circumstances in which a gift reflecting something authentic about the giver increased the recipient's feelings of closeness to the giver.

Key findings

  • A strong general preference exists for gifts that reflect the recipient's own interests and passions.
  • Gifts reflecting something authentic about the giver can, in some circumstances, increase feelings of closeness more than purely recipient-focused gifts.

GiftNav takeaway

A gift can work on two levels at once -- reflecting the recipient's own taste while also carrying something true about the giver or the relationship -- without that being a contradiction.

Themes

Used in these research topics

Last reviewed September 14, 2026.

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