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Gift and Counter-Gift: The Reciprocity Rule

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Psychology of Gift-Giving

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Abstract

The most important principle of gift-giving behaviour is the reciprocity rule, which states that the acceptance of a gift triggers the obligation to reciprocate. This rule is the focus of exchange theory-oriented gift research, thereby it is interpreted differently depending on what is understood by the exchanged value. In the perspective of economic exchange theory, the gift and the counter-gift must correspond in their financial value, while social exchange theory emphasizes the need to balance symbolic values. A closer look at the reciprocity rule reveals in what ways and with what consequences it is deliberately violated and for which relationships and occasions exceptions to the rule are permitted. In addition, beyond the considerations of exchange theory, a type of gift becomes visible for which the rule does not apply: the type of altruistic gift-giving that is not linked to any expectation of reciprocation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ingolstadt, Bayern, Germany

    Bernd Stauss

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  1. Bernd Stauss
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Correspondence to Bernd Stauss .

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Stauss, B. (2023). Gift and Counter-Gift: The Reciprocity Rule. In: Psychology of Gift-Giving. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-66393-6_2

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