Giving Boosts Happiness, So Why Am I Frazzled?
I grew up hearing that it is better to give than to receive, and the older I get, the more I aim to take this message to heart. Nonetheless, here I am, in the midst of the holiday season stressed out about gifts I have not yet purchased. When I picture the holidays, I imagine strolling through the small shops in my town, as carolers sing, spotting a unique gift for everyone on my list, but the reality is far more tedious. Short on time, I madly scroll online to find something fast. Even as I hit purchase, I’m second-guessing the slippers for mom. Will dad like the infrared blanket, I wonder. How did gift buying become an emotionally fraught chore? For a moment, it’s easy to question if it’s worth it. But, hang on, science tells me that giving makes us feel good – right?
“The act of giving actually does improve your happiness,” says researcher Michael Norton, a psychologist who teaches at Harvard Business School. He and his collaborators have published several studies on the effects of giving.
In one experiment that included about 700 people, the researchers randomly assigned participants to make either a purchase for themselves, or for a stranger. Afterwards, the participants reported how happy they felt. Turns out, giving to others led to a significant happiness boost, whereas spending on oneself didn’t move the needle.
Excerpted from NPR
