Pettiness in Social Exchange

We identify and document a novel construct—pettiness, or deliberate attentiveness to trivial details—and examine its (negative) implications in interpersonal relationships and social exchange. Five 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, critically, 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. Close monitoring of resource exchanges—i.e., being petty—harms communal-sharing relationships by making (even objectively generous) exchanges feel transactional. When exchanging resources, givers should be wary of not just how much they spend, but the manner in which they spend it.