Research LibraryEggebeen, D. J., & Hogan, D. P. (1990). Human Nature, 1(3), 211–232. DOI: 10.1007/BF02733984.
Read the original source →Family-exchange research examining how money, help, goods, companionship, and care circulate between generations, finding that patterns differ depending on family structure, resources, proximity, and earlier support given or received. This is demographic family-transfer research, not a study of discrete gift purchases.
Life context (what role someone is currently playing in their family -- new homeowner, caregiver, etc.) can matter as much as occasion when thinking about what kind of support a gift should provide.
Studies family resource transfers broadly, not gift selection; a contextual/background source, not a direct test of what makes a good gift.
Last reviewed September 14, 2026.