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  • February 2019
  • Article
  • Journal of Experimental Psychology: General

Pettiness in Social Exchange

By: Tami Kim, Ting Zhang and Michael I. Norton
  • Format:Print
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Abstract

We identify and document a novel construct—pettiness, or intentional attentiveness to trivial details—and examine its (negative) implications in interpersonal relationships and social exchange. Seven studies show that pettiness manifests across different types of resources (both money and time), across cultures with differing tolerance for ambiguity in relationships (the United States, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria), and is distinct from related constructs such as generosity, conscientiousness, fastidious, and counter-normativity. Indeed, people dislike petty exchanges even when the (petty) amount given is more generous (e.g., a gift card for $5.15 rather than $5), suggesting that pettiness may in some instances serve as a stronger relationship signal than actual benefits exchanged. Attentiveness to trivial details of resource exchanges harms communal-sharing relationships by making (even objectively generous) exchanges feel transactional. When exchanging resources, people should be wary of both how much they exchange and the manner in which they exchange.

Keywords

Relationships; Personal Characteristics; Perception; Societal Protocols

Citation

Kim, Tami, Ting Zhang, and Michael I. Norton. "Pettiness in Social Exchange." Journal of Experimental Psychology: General 148, no. 2 (February 2019): 361–373.
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About The Authors

Ting Zhang

Organizational Behavior
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Michael I. Norton

Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
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More from the Authors

    • July 2022
    • Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

    When Alterations Are Violations: Moral Outrage and Punishment in Response to (Even Minor) Alterations to Rituals

    By: Daniel H. Stein, Juliana Schroeder, Nicholas M. Hobson, Francesca Gino and Michael I. Norton
    • April 2022
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    Consumers Value Effort over Ease When Caring for Close Others

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    • Current Opinion in Psychology

    The Errors of Experts: When Expertise Hinders Effective Provision and Seeking of Advice and Feedback

    By: Ting Zhang, Kelly Harrington and Elad Sherf
More from the Authors
  • When Alterations Are Violations: Moral Outrage and Punishment in Response to (Even Minor) Alterations to Rituals By: Daniel H. Stein, Juliana Schroeder, Nicholas M. Hobson, Francesca Gino and Michael I. Norton
  • Consumers Value Effort over Ease When Caring for Close Others By: Ximena Garcia-Rada, Mary Steffel, Elanor F. Williams and Michael I. Norton
  • The Errors of Experts: When Expertise Hinders Effective Provision and Seeking of Advice and Feedback By: Ting Zhang, Kelly Harrington and Elad Sherf
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