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The Influence Of Relationship Beliefs On Gift Giving, Dipankar Rai, Chein-Wei (Wilson) Lin, Junghwa (Jenny) Hong, George Kulick

Marketing Faculty Publications and Presentations

People have fundamental beliefs about what constitutes a good relationship, known as implicit theories of relationship, where some people have destiny beliefs whereas others have growth beliefs. People with destiny beliefs believe that potential partners are meant either for each other or not, whereas people with growth beliefs believe that successful relationships are cultivated and developed. This research shows that different implicit theories of relationship influence consumers’ gift choice to their significant others. We demonstrate, through two studies, that consumers with destiny beliefs prefer giving gifts that are more feasible in nature, whereas consumers with growth beliefs prefer giving gifts …