Small gifts improve creative problem solving

Information from an article in the New Scientist by Stephanie Pain entitled 'A spoonful of sugar helps the doctor feel good'.

Alice Isen, a psychologist at Cornell University, has found that those medical students and doctors given small gifts, such as a bag of sweets, made quicker and more accurate diagnoses. Similarly shoppers given a 29-cent pair of nail clippers gave much more positive questionnaire responses about their washing machines and freezers.

Alice Isen believes that a small gift or piece of luck produces feelings of happiness and mild elation, thus promoting generosity, helpfulness and ability to solve problems creatively.

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