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Recipients' happiness in prosocial spending: The role of social ties

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Listed:
  • Wuke Zhang
  • Jing Pan
  • Jiaoyang Liu
  • Yuchen Zhang
  • Mingliang Chen

Abstract

In the past decade, a growing body of studies has explored spenders' happiness in prosocial spending (i.e., spending money on others). However, the happiness of recipients has been frequently ignored. Considering that most prosocial spending behaviors can be seen as a particular form of social interactions and emotional outcomes of social interactions depend on whom people interact with, the current study attempts to explore the influence of the social ties between spenders and recipients (strong vs. weak social ties) on recipients' happiness. More specifically, the present study also attempts to explain this influence from the aspect of basic psychological needs (i.e., relatedness, competence, and autonomy) satisfaction. Results of two studies reveal that gifts from strong social ties lead to recipients' greater happiness than those from weak social ties. Notably, relatedness satisfaction and competence satisfaction, but not autonomy satisfaction, explain this happiness effect of social ties.

Suggested Citation

  • Wuke Zhang & Jing Pan & Jiaoyang Liu & Yuchen Zhang & Mingliang Chen, 2021. "Recipients' happiness in prosocial spending: The role of social ties," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(4), pages 1333-1351, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jconsa:v:55:y:2021:i:4:p:1333-1351
    DOI: 10.1111/joca.12312
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Daniel Kahneman & Peter P. Wakker & Rakesh Sarin, 1997. "Back to Bentham? Explorations of Experienced Utility," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 112(2), pages 375-406.
    2. Lara Aknin & Elizabeth Dunn & Michael Norton, 2012. "Happiness Runs in a Circular Motion: Evidence for a Positive Feedback Loop between Prosocial Spending and Happiness," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 347-355, April.
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