Exerting Effort to Choose Increases Generosity in Cash Gift Giving

Abstract

Recently in the gifting industry, websites allow people to set up cash registries (e.g., honeymoon and baby fund registries) to elicit gifts in different ways. For example, people may set up a cash registry that lists a lump sum expense (e.g., $5,000 for a honeymoon). Alternatively, they may set up an itemized registry, that breaks up the total expense into smaller expenses, such as travel, lodging, and activities during the honeymoon. With this type of registry, givers can then choose which expense to contribute to. This research examines how different types of cash gift requests that allow choice (versus not), such as cash registries and gift cards, influence gift giving. Across seven studies (N = 9,552), givers respond more generously to cash gift requests when they are able to choose in the gifting process. We suggest this is because givers exert greater effort to choose options in those cash gift requests, making positive inferences about their relationship with the recipient. Supporting this account, moderation studies reveal that the effect can be attenuated when effort in choosing is reduced or enhanced. This research offers practical insights for individuals wishing to increase gifting contributions and marketers looking into optimizing the design of registries and other cash gift requests. 

Keywords: cash gift giving, choice, effort, intrapersonal inferences, generosity