skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Monday, June 23, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Security guard kills MI church gunman, preventing 'large-scale mass shooting'; NM Pride celebrations urge 'resilience' after U.S. v. Skrmetti ruling; Beleaguered L.A. affordable housing proposal goes before judge; Data change means ID saw largest college enrollment drop in spring term.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

U.S. awaits Iran's response following strikes on three nuclear sites. Department of Homeland Security warns about possible attacks here, and advocates call for resilience as LGBTQ rights face threats around the nation.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Giant data centers powering artificial intelligence want cheap rural land but some communities are pushing back, Hurricane Helene mobilized a North Carolina town in unexpected ways, and Cherokee potters make ceramics that honor multiple generations.

Experiences Rather than Material Gifts for the Holidays

play audio
Play

Wednesday, November 30, 2016   

JEFFERSON CITY, MO. - People feel more grateful for what they have done than for what they have, according to new research, and that feeling of gratitude also leads to more generous behavior.

Thomas Gilovich, a psychology professor and the co-author of the Cornell University report, said people make positive comments about the stuff they bought or received, but they don't express gratitude as often as they do for experiences, such as concerts, dance lessons or dining out at a good restaurant.

"So, if you want to give a gift that really makes someone happy, there's a lot of things to choose from, he said. "But again, think twice about maybe doing an experiential gift over a material one. It might pay off even more."

He added the feeling of gratitude has been linked to increased happiness and social cohesion, better health outcomes, and even improved sleep quality. Researchers studied 1,200 online customer reviews and found the vast majority of people who used the word "grateful" purchased experiences, not material items such as electronics, furniture or clothing.

The study suggests experiences tend to help people appreciate their own situations and trigger fewer social comparisons. Gilovich said the urge to "keep Up with the Joneses" if a neighbor buys a better car or computer than yours can be hard to resist.

"We do that with experiences, too," he added. "If you went on some sensational vacation, I wonder a bit about mine. But I wonder less than I do for material things."

He said such gifts also can create a positive ripple effect. In a study involving an economic game, players thinking about a meaningful experience were more generous toward others than when they thought about a material purchase.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Advocates said prison gerrymandering gives voting districts with a correctional facility an unfair advantage in the West Virginia political system. They want state lawmakers to make changes before the 2030 Census. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Prison policy advocates are urging West Virginia lawmakers to put an end to "prison gerrymandering," which they said distorts political representation…


play sound

As Congress debates the GOP's sweeping budget reconciliation bill, some lawmakers are working to include a provision which would delay a methane …

Social Issues

play sound

Federal data show roughly 75,000 South Dakota households rely on SNAP benefits to put food on the table and hunger-fighting groups paint a troubling p…


The University of Minnesota and The Land Institute are among those leading research into developing nigger shares of Kernza, an earth-friendly grain which can be used for beer. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

From poultry to beer, Minnesota has an avid interest in producing food with ingredients and practices mindful of the state's water resources and the …

Social Issues

play sound

Los Angeles faces a severe shortage of affordable housing but Monday, the city is asking a judge to put a hold on a lawsuit which aims to clear the …

Despite the area's beauty, a decades-old waste disposal site lies underwater around Bonneville Dam, leaching toxic levels of mercury and lead as well as industrial chemicals known as PCBs. (thecolorpixels/Adobe Stock)

play sound

As outdoor recreation picks up for summer, a clean-water advocacy group reminds people that some fish around Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River are …

Social Issues

play sound

Advocates for immigrants' rights in Washington state are voicing concerns about the possible expansion of the H-2A visa program, which they say …

Social Issues

play sound

The nonprofit Out Nebraska is marking Pride month with a series of parades, marches and other events across the state in June. The group is also …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021