It’s gift-giving season, which suggests making lengthy procuring lists, questioning if anybody will care about receiving scented candles two years in a row, and panicking about lengthy strains on the submit workplace.
However this yr, a brand new research printed within the Journal of Consumer Psychology has some excellent news for procrastinators. Whereas it’s unclear how recipients will really feel about these scented candles, analysis reveals that sending presents follows the age-old expression: “Higher late than by no means.”
The researchers ran a number of completely different research surveying tons of of members on completely different eventualities. Within the first research, members had been requested to think about their buddy gave them a birthday present on time or two weeks late, or to think about that that they had given their buddy a present on time or two weeks late. The researchers discovered individuals who imagined giving a present late estimated it might trigger extra hurt to the connection than individuals who imagined receiving a present late.
Within the second research, members had been requested to think about giving or receiving a present late, and the way a lot that may affect their notion of care within the relationship. Researchers discovered that the present givers overestimated the hurt of giving a present late as a result of they believed it alerts a scarcity of care concerning the relationship.
Within the third research, members had been requested to think about giving or receiving a present late—nonetheless, in some circumstances, the present required important effort to place collectively, and in others, it was low effort. Researchers discovered that present givers who imagined placing in additional effort anticipated there can be much less of a damaging response to a late present. Whereas this proved to be true for present recipients, givers once more overestimated how a lot hurt a late present would trigger.
Within the fourth research, the researchers examined how a lot the diploma of lateness issues by asking folks to think about giving and receiving a present on time, two days late, two weeks late, or two months late. Normally, recipients mentioned hurt to the connection was roughly the identical whether or not a present was two days late or two weeks late, nevertheless it was barely increased if it was two months late. Nevertheless, present givers estimated hurt to be a lot increased in all of the late circumstances, and it elevated considerably because the present obtained later and later.
Within the final research, researchers examined whether or not it was finest to ship a present late or by no means. Contributors had been requested to think about both giving a present on time, two months late, or by no means, or to think about receiving a present underneath a type of three circumstances. As soon as once more, present givers overestimated the hurt of being late or not sending a present. Nevertheless, recipients felt that it was extra dangerous to the connection to not get a present in any respect than to get one late.
“Our work . . . means that sending a present late will end in fewer giver worries concerning the state of the connection than not sending a present just because it will be late,” the researchers wrote.