Researchers from the National University of Singapore and the University of Chicago conducted six experiments asking people about giving and receiving gifts.

新加坡国立大学和芝加哥大学的研究人员日前开展了六项实验，询问人们赠送与收到礼物的经历。

They found gift-givers prefer those expected to produce smiles or gasps¹ of joy, but people receiving them prefer gifts that will make them happy over the long-term.

他们发现，送礼者更喜欢那些能让人露出笑容或惊喜的礼物，但收礼者更偏爱那些能让他们开心很长时间的礼物。

When the researchers asked 80 people for their favorite gifts, books and money came out among the top for satisfaction, despite causing little in the way of smiles or squeals².

研究人员向80人询问他们最喜欢的礼物时发现，尽管不太会令人露出笑容或发出尖叫，书籍与金钱却在最令人满意的礼物之列。

Further analysis of 198 people and 600 Christmas gifts found tools like a cordless drill often get little reaction but provide high satisfaction.

他们对198人以及600件圣诞礼物进一步分析后发现，收礼者往往对像无线电钻这样的工具反应平淡，但满意度却很高。

Frivolous³ items like cupcakes produce a good reaction but low satisfaction.

纸杯蛋糕等不实用物品虽然会激起不错的反应，但收礼者的满意度却很低。

Another experiment found gift-givers preferred personalized mugs but people given them preferred less thoughtful ergonomic ones designed to be easy to use.

另一项实验发现，送礼者更喜欢赠送定制的杯子，但收礼者更喜欢虽不贴心但易于使用的人体工学杯子。

The study, published in the journal Psychological Science, found people are more likely to try to get a reaction from presents if they are present to see them being opened.

这项发表于《心理科学》期刊的研究还发现，如果人们会亲眼看到收礼的人打开礼物，他们会更倾向于通过礼物激起对方的反应。

Almost half of gift-givers surveyed by researchers chose pretty wrapping paper over an upgrade⁴ to the present, when expecting to see it unwrapped in person. This fell to less than 28 percent if the present was sent by post.

在调查中，如果人们将亲眼看到收礼者打开礼物，近一半的送礼者会选择包装精美的礼物而不是选择更高级的礼物。如果是通过邮寄方式赠送礼物，选择精美包装的比例则降至不到28%。