I believe it was Cher in the film Clueless that said, “It’s like that book I read in 9th grade that said tis a far far better thing doing stuff for other people.” And according to a new study, that really is true, even if she did say it wrong.
Recent research suggests that spending money on others has a greater positive emotional impact than spending on oneself. In the first experiment, the researchers gave charity vouchers worth $25 or $50 to Australian bank employees and asked them to donate the money to a charity of their choice. Compared to people who did not receive the charity vouchers, those who donated $50 (but not $25) claimed to be happier and more satisfied with their jobs. More »