LogiNext_YW August-2018 Dummy

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Have you ever bought a gift for a friend, simply because it's a gift that you
would like yourself? If so, you projected your own attitudes onto your friend,
assuming your friend shared your preferences. Such activity is called ‘Social
projection’ and is the focus of a marketing research from Baylor University's
Hankamer School of Business.
- Brian Tracy
The greatest gift
that you can give to
others is the gift of
unconditional love
and acceptance.
The study, ‘I Love the product, but
will you? The Role of Interpersonal
Attachment Styles in Social
Projection’, is based on the surveys
of 1,272 people across five studies
and is published in the journal
‘Psychology & Marketing’.
The research reveals that people
who are secure in interpersonal
settings are the ones most likely to
make choices on behalf of others
based on their own preferences.
Conversely, those who are anxious
are less likely to assume that others
share their own preferences and
so will hesitate to make choices
for others based on their personal
attitudes.
“You'd think that secure people
with lots of friends and healthy
personal relationships would have a
better idea of what someone would
like as a gift, but that's not the case,"
says study author Meredith David.
“This research shows that those
who are anxious in interpersonal
situations and who have fewer close,
personal relationships are better at
predicting what a person may like.”
Emotionally secure people,
explain researchers, are people who
expect others to be available and
supportive when needed. Those
who suffer from insecurity in their
relationships have less positive
expectations and constantly worry
about how things would work out.
A securely attached person is more
apt to choose a gift based on his/
her own preferences. An anxious
person is more apt to consider what
the recipient may like, and will make
a choice based less on his/her own
personal preferences.
“A key takeaway is that people
who have healthy relationships and
feel comfortable in interpersonal
settings, etc should be mindful of
their propensity to assume others
like what they like,” explains David.
“Gifts should be thoughtful, and
securely-attached folks should strive
to put their own preferences aside
when considering what others may
like.”
Even if you love to shop, choosing
the right gift can be one of the most
challenging things to do. But you
need to remember that gifts are all
about making people feel special in
the best possible way. Whatever you
choose, you need to keep in mind
that it’s not about the product, but
more about the feeling behind it.
Expensive gifts don’t always make
perfect gifts. If you have extra cash
to spare you can definitely buy
something fancy, but if you are
running low on a budget, you can
always get something that fits your
wallet and can be more innovative
in your choice. A tiny note on a gift
always makes it more personal and
exciting.
August 2018 • Issue III • Volume VII • yourwellness.com