Overwrapping and overpackaging can be overstimulating. This study probes the phenomenon of overpackaging, and probes the psyches of some of the people involved and affected by overpackaging:
“Thoughtful or Thoughtless? Asymmetric Attitudes of Gift-Givers and Gift-Recipients Toward Overpackaged Gifts,” Haijiao Shi, Rong Chen, and Bingqing (Miranda) Yin, Journal of Retailing, epub 2024. The authors explain:
“Across five studies and four supplementary studies, we demonstrate that gift-givers prefer overpackaged gifts and evaluate them more positively than regularly packaged gifts. Conversely, gift-recipients prefer regularly packaged gifts and evaluate overpackaged gifts less positively.”