Why Do People Buy Flowers?
By Frank Viviano

Why flowers? After all, you could just send a card or make a phone call. Today's Internet generation might send a quick e-mail. It turns out there are some very good reasons why people buy and send flowers; and why they have been doing so for centuries to express their sentiments and celebrate important events in their lives.

Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at Rutgers University published a study in April, 2005 which provided some insight. Dr. Haviland-Jones is a psychologist and internationally recognized authority in the role of emotional development in human behavior and nonverbal emotional signals and response. Although she admitted she was initially cynical about the project, assuming the study would find people simply like flowers because they associate them with happy events, she was surprised by the results. The 10 month study explored the link between flowers and life satisfaction focusing on participants’ behavioral and emotional responses to receiving flowers. The results show that flowers are a natural and healthful moderator of moods.

1. Flowers have an immediate impact on happiness. All study participants expressed “true” or “excited” smiles upon receiving flowers, demonstrating extraordinary delight and gratitude. This reaction was universal, occurring in all age groups.

2. Flowers have a long term positive impact on moods. Specifically, study participants reported feeling less depressed, anxious and agitated after receiving flowers, and demonstrated a higher sense of enjoyment and life satisfaction.

3. Flowers make intimate connections. The presence of flowers led to increased contact with family and friends. “Common sense tells us that flowers make us happy,” said Dr. Haviland-Jones. “Now, science shows that not only do flowers make us happier than we know, they have strong positive effects on our emotional well being.”

Dr. Haviland-Jones found the same effect on men as women proving the universal benefit of having flowers in your environment. A 2006 study conducted by Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D., of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital reinforces Dr. Havliand-Jones’ findings. Dr. Etcoff found that flowers in the home had a significant positive emotional impact on people. Flowers in their presence caused the study participants to feel less anxious and more compassionate. They even reported a boost of energy that lasted through their day.

Florists have always known that flowers make people happy. Most of us didn’t realize this is a universal and almost involuntary reaction when flowers are received. My Dad used to say that “flowers are God’s gift to mankind”. We now have a couple of studies that help us understand how the gift of flowers has a positive effect on people’s moods. If you want to feel happier or know someone that could use a lift send some flowers today.