Seeing the smile on someone’s face as they open a gift, or the sparkle in their eyes when they realize that someone has thought of them, may offer more than just a warm feeling. As the holiday season approaches, research suggests that the happiness we experience from giving can last longer than the happiness we feel when receiving.
According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, happiness following a particular event or activity tends to decline each time we experience it. This phenomenon is known as hedonic adaptation. However, giving to others may be an exception to this pattern.
In one experiment, 96 university students received $5 each day for five consecutive days and were asked to spend the money in the same way each day. Participants were randomly assigned to either spend the money on themselves or give it to someone else—for example, by leaving it in a tip jar at the same café or donating it to the same charitable organization each day.
The results revealed a clear pattern. Participants began the experiment with similar levels of happiness, but those who spent the money on themselves reported a steady decline in happiness over the five days. That decline was not observed among those who spent the money on others.
Even on the fifth consecutive day of giving, participants reported levels of happiness comparable to those they experienced at the beginning of the experiment.
Researchers Ed O’Brien and Samantha Kassirer then conducted a second online experiment involving 502 participants, who played 10 rounds of a game.
Participants received five cents in each round and could choose either to keep the money or donate it to a charity of their choice. Once again, the results showed that happiness declined more slowly among those who gave away their winnings.
The findings suggest that while repeated personal rewards may become less satisfying over time, the emotional benefits of giving to others can remain more consistent.
