Does Giving Really Make Us Happier? A Meta-Analysis and Multi-Study Reassessment
(A2026-134261)

AUTHORS

Daniel Fernandes, Catholic University of Portugal; Rafael Demczuk, Polytechnic University of Coimbra; Joe Gladstone, University of California San Diego (UCSD)

ABSTRACT

Prior research claims that spending money on others enhances well-being, but the existing evidence relies on small samples, heterogeneous measures, and publication bias. We evaluate three competing accounts: prosocial spending enhances well-being universally; effects reflect methodological artifacts; or benefits emerge only when giving minimizes psychological distance. In a meta-analysis and six empirical tests, initial positive associations (r=.070 to .079) disappear after bias correction. RoBMA yields null effects (ρ=-.004 to .003). Within-person, instrumental variable, and machine learning tests confirm negligible causal relationships. However, modest benefits emerged for tangible donations to identifiable, high-need recipients. These findings suggest prosocial spending's emotional rewards are more limited and emerge only in specific conditions, providing implications for decision-making, charitable appeals, and theoretical understanding of generosity's psychological consequences.