Isn’t that sweet: Why a bite of a bar of chocolate is better than a shoulder to cry on after a bad day

When we’re having a bad day, what can loved ones do to help? Give us some chocolate, it seems.

A study of more than 3,600 people found that a sweet gift gave a bigger lift during tough times than a listening ear.

It’s because gifts are perceived as a greater ‘sacrifice’, as they are more focused on benefiting the receiver than the giver.

In an experiment carried out by researchers from Canadian business school HEC Montreal, State University of New York-Albany and Duke University in the US, people were told to imagine someone had driven into their car and they had contacted a friend for support. 

Those who were told their friend wasn’t free to talk but would send a gift instead felt better than those who were told their friend would call them.

In the study, those who received a chocolate gift rather than a conversation said they felt better and that their partners had made more of a sacrifice

In another experiment, individuals in a couple were asked to tell their partners they needed emotional support. 

The partners were then randomly assigned to respond with a small chocolate treat or by having a brief conversation with them.

Those who received the gift said they felt better and felt that their partner had made more of a sacrifice than those who had a conversation. 

Lead researcher Holly Howe, an assistant professor of marketing, explained: ‘When people think about sacrifice, they take the sacrificer’s motives into account. When it comes to conversation, they assume that the supporter’s motive is to benefit both parties.

‘When it comes to gifts, the supported person assumes that the supporter’s motive is more altruistic – that they are sacrificing solely to benefit the recipient.’

And the size of the gift isn’t important.

Mrs Howe added: ‘We know that the sacrifice effect is not driven by the fact that gifts cost money while conversations cost time. We also know it’s not driven by the gifted object itself. This implies it’s almost impossible for gift givers to mess up.

‘It does not matter what you give, or how much it cost, it just matters that the recipient knows that you thought of them and that you took time and effort to send them something, despite it not benefiting you at all.’