Definition
Gift giving in mating relationships is the voluntary presentation of a good (e.g., book, jewelry) or experience (e.g., concert tickets, leisure trip) to a mating partner, whether a long-term or short-term partner. It is a common social phenomenon that allows people to communicate their positive feelings toward their partner and their desire to further invest in the relationship.
Introducing Gift Giving in Mating Relationships
The giving of gifts (whether goods or experiences) is a common and universal social practice in mating relationships. Gifts may be given for an occasion (e.g., anniversary, birthday, and Valentine’s Day) or “just because.” Gift giving allows people to establish, define, and maintain important social relationships. Giving a gift to a partner shows an investment of time, effort, and (likely) money. In this way, it is a costly signal of the giver’s interest in the recipient. Giving a gift...
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Cottrell, C.A., Fuller, A.C., Sampson, A.M. (2024). Gift Giving in Mating Relationships. In: Shackelford, T.K. (eds) Encyclopedia of Sexual Psychology and Behavior. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08956-5_1080-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08956-5_1080-1
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