Economic dimensions of household gift giving

Article Abstract:

The purpose of this research was to explore economic dimensions of a consumer gift-giving model. Two dimensions of extrahousehold gift expenditures were modeled: the probability of giving and the expected value of the corresponding expenditures. Data were from 4,139 households in the Quarterly Interview component of the 1984-1985 U.S. Continuing Consumer Expenditure Survey. The results demonstrated that both the probability of giving and the value of annual expenditures for gifts given outside the consumer unit are related to total expenditures (a proxy for income), family size, life-cycle stage, and education. In addition, the probability of gift giving is related to the number of female adults, ethnicity, and urbanization, and the value of gift expenditures is related to region. Extrahousehold gift expenditures appear to be a luxury - as income increases, gift expenditures increase more rapidly. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Social aspects, Economic aspects, Consumption (Economics)

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Gift Receipt and the Reformulation of Interpersonal Relationships

Article Abstract:

Sherry (1983) defines reformulation as the final stage of gift exchange, during which a newly presented gift can impact the relationship between giver and recipient. To date no one has examined exactly how gifts can affect relationships or what aspects of gift exchange contribute to realignment of the giver/ recipient relationship. Using depth interviews and critical-incident surveys, our study explores how the recipient's perceptions of the existing relationship, the gift, the ritual context, and his or her emotional reactions converge to affect relationship realignment. We identify six relational effects of gift-receipt experiences. Further, we examine gift-receipt experiences that have a consistent impact in the short and long term, and those where the meanings and relational effects appear to change over time. Implications for future research are also discussed.

Interpersonal relations

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More than a labor of love: gender roles and Christmas gift shopping

Article Abstract:

Through a field study of 299 men and women, the effect of gender-related variables on Christmas-gift-shopping patterns was explored. Survey results suggest that women are more involved than men in the activity. However, men are likely to be more involved if they hold egalitarian gender-role attitudes. Overall, the study indicates that, while Christmas shopping may be a "labor of love" to some, it is most widely construed as "women's work." (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Demographic aspects, Shopping, Sex differences

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