The Art of Giving and Receiving
The holiday season brings with it merry cheer and the one custom that is shared across many religious and cultural traditions…giving. We often hear the phrase “it is more blessed to give than to receive” quoted during this season. It is in this phrase that many find their sense of happiness and purpose.
Research done by social psychologist Liz Dunn and her colleagues shows that people’s sense of happiness is greater when they spend relatively more on others than on themselves. The survey was conducted with over 600 US citizens and of various income levels.
The most interesting fact from the research was that even those with little money reported greater happiness when their giving surpassed their receiving.
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