The Psychological Truth of Giving Gifts

Isn’t it great when you find the perfect gift for that special someone? You trawl the internet and scour the shops to finally find something that you know they will love. The anticipation of watching that person unwrap the present and the emotion that it evokes once they have seen what is inside. On the flip side, isn't it great when you receive the perfect present? A present that someone has really thought about and tailored it to you personally.

Even though Christmas is not all about giving, it is extremely powerful knowing that you have given or received a gift that is just perfect.

At Lab, we are obsessed with human behaviour and because of this, we have created a unique psychology model that helps us to empathise with all aspects of decision-making – the rational, the irrational and the emotional. This model is called Monkey, Lion, Dog and looks at why we do what we do. We all know that different people make different choices, but the interesting thing is when people make the same choice for different reasons.

So how does this relate to Christmas and making sure you receive the perfect gift? Through our Monkey Lion Dog test, we can provide you with is the tools to help your loved ones pick the perfect present for you by analysing your persona. Read about the test below.

WHAT A MONKEY WOULD WANT FOR CHRISTMAS: ‘The most surprising present’

Contextual thinkers most pay attention to the outside world. Concepts associated with a person that is more ‘Monkey’ include; Recognition, Attention, Inclusion, Status / Title, Fame, Making a difference, Purpose, Responsibility and Leaving a legacy.

A perfect gift for a Monkey would be either something that would be state of the art, like a new piece of technology, or alternatively a joke present. To see more presents for a Monkey, see our suggested amazon list here: ttp://amzn.eu/fMr0XLb

WHAT A LION WOULD WANT FOR CHRISTMAS: ‘The best present’

Rational thinkers most pay attention to their thoughts and judgements. Concepts associated with a person that is more ‘Lion’ include; Control, Quality, Mastery, Success, Challenge, Power, Comfort, Courage, Achievement and Competence.

A perfect gift for a Lion would something that would help them reach success, an example of this could be a new book that could take them to the next level. To see more presents for a Lion, see our suggested amazon list here: http://amzn.eu/0e8kZj0

WHAT A DOG WOULD WANT FOR CHRISTMAS: ‘The most thoughtful present’

Emotional thinkers most pay attention to their feelings, mainly in relation to other people. Concepts associated with a person that is more ‘Dog’ include; Connection, Love, Trust, Openness, Honesty, Authenticity, Relationships, Teamwork, Loyalty and Transparency.

A perfect gift for a Dog would be something that had a strong connection, for example this may refer to a gift that related to a particular memory you had with this person. For a Dog, a really personal gift is the best way to go! To see more presents for a Dog, see our suggested amazon list here: http://amzn.eu/4igf9bm

Even though these are all great ideas for a present and messages, what we must remember, is that someone can be a mixture of all three and this may differ in different circumstances!

But what do the gifts you give tell you about your own psychology? 

Why are we motivated to give, and what intrinsic reward do we get from the act of giving? A monkey motive is to give a gift that makes you memorable or significant to the receiver. A lion motive is to give a helpful or practical gift that will be valued and appreciated by the receiver. A dog motive is to give a gift that helps to make a connection with or feel connected to the receiver.

The typical gift tags comments below are a great illustration of Monkey Lion Dog motivations behind the act of giving...

Monkeys will write:

I love this so you will too

I found this for you

Lions will write:

This will come in handy

I know you need this

Dogs will write:

Let’s do this together