Defining and Delineating Mindful Gifting: A Review and Research Agenda

Abstract

Gifting and mindful consumption have recently garnered scholarly attention as distinct domains of consumption. However, the limited research exploring their intersection restricts conceptual clarity on how to engage in mindful giving and receiving, and the implications it may have for sustainability and well-being. This paper introduces the concept of mindful gifting and examines its implications from a consumer perspective. Building on Sheth et al.'s (2011) mindful-consumption framework, we assert that mindful gifting entails givers and recipients considering the impact of their gifting behavior on SSE (self, society, and the environment) before, during, and after the gifting experience. It may manifest in attentiveness to the potential impact of gifts, in the care that gifts can symbolize and foster, and in temperance throughout the entire gifting process, to enhance the well-being of all parties involved. To support this conceptualization, we conduct a scoping review that synthesizes the literature at the intersection between gifting and mindful consumption that examines: (1) caring awareness toward SSE; (2) managing tensions that arise between these various aspects of care; and (3) exploring strategies to exert gifting temperance. These insights offer a foundation for future gifting research on gifting as a sustainable and mindful consumption practice.