Every so often we share useful nuggets on behavioural science.

Here's three festive psychology studies to bring you and your bottom line some cheer. Merry Christmas!

And remember, we're here to help you...

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🎢 Experiential gifts tend to be preferred over material ones.

This paper reported that people felt closer to their gift-giver when the gift (a mug) focused on the experience of drinking coffee rather than just owning the mug.

The paper replicated the finding across multiple experiments, and it has been found in other studies elsewhere. However, there may be some moderators - for example, experiential gifts are preferred when the giver and giftee are close, but for distant relationships, functional products may work better.

Personally, I'll happily take a day at a racetrack, or just the cash. Let me know if you need my Monzo..

💡 Show that you know the giftee's identity well

According to this study, when people were given a gift - by a close friend - that was contrary to their identity (e.g., a muge for their rival sports team), they would physically place it further away from themselves. This suggest an 'avoid' response.

If you know someone well, make sure you show it by reflecting who they are in the gift.

👄 Make sure you wrap the present

Presents are viewed more desirably if they've been wrapped, according to this study.

Wrapping fulfils a lot of the psychological elements that make gifts good: it is a pointless waste of effort (a 'costly signal') that demonstrates investment in the relationship; it allows for a degree of personalisation; it is a ritual; and it adds an element of surprise.

If you make your gift for your loved one thoughtful, personal, and surprising, you can't really go wrong (with exceptions).

Merry Christmas! If you'd like to apply this kind of behavioural science to your work...... talk us.

James, Patrick and Dan

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We practically apply the science of the human mind for hard, commercial results 

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