Publications [#382755] of Tanya L. Chartrand

Journal Articles

1. Howe, HS; Wiener, HJD; Chartrand, TL (2025). Money can buy me love: Gifts are a more effective form of acute social support than conversations. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 35(3), 397-414. [doi]
   (last updated on 2026/01/17)

   Abstract:
   If you are having a hard day, what can someone else do to help you feel better? Maybe they could verbally comfort you or maybe they could give you a small gift. In seven studies, including an in-person real gifting study, we find that receiving a small material gift, such as a candy bar or flowers, improves receivers' affect more than a supportive conversation with a close other does. We investigate the mechanism for this effect and find that support receivers perceive a gift to be a larger sacrifice than a conversation. This occurs because gifts seem more receiver-focused (i.e., actions done solely to benefit the receiver) than do conversations. This difference in perceived sacrifice makes gifts (vs. conversations) more effective at promoting emotional recovery.