In This Crisis, Giving People Financial Gis Can Lead to Bad Feelings

April 30, 2020, Opinion, "With the pandemic forcing millions of Americans into financial distress, it is only natural to want to lend friends and family a hand. But giving them a gift to help them out can do a lot of harm—unless you do it the right way. In new research, we find that people who receive money or other gifts feel embarrassed, ashamed and generally terrible about themselves when those gifts directly address their financial needs. But our research also shows that if the gift givers frame what they’re giving in the right way, they can avoid triggering bad feelings and leave the recipient a lot better off."

Non-HKS Author Website - Ashley Whillans