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The human being is a "social animal," as Aristotle suggested. We have a fundamental need to belong. Yet we find ourselves in the middle of an epidemic of loneliness and isolation. How, then, might we encourage the feelings of connectedness that are so crucial to our well-being?

Over the past several years, my colleagues and I have conducted scientific studies suggesting that experiential purchases tend to bring people more happiness than material ones. In recent research, we investigated another downstream consequence of spending on experiences rather than things: it can promote a greater sense of social connection.

We conducted a series of 13 experiments involving 1,980 participants. We asked people to think about either experiential or material purchases they had made and then rate their thoughts and feelings about those purchases on nine-point scales. In some of our studies, people reported feeling more connection with someone who had made the same experiential purchase than someone who had made the same material purchase. This reflects the fact that experiential purchases are more central to an individual's identity: our data show that people feel more similar to and more connection with someone who purchases the same experience as them because they believe this kind of consumption tends to represent more of one's true, essential sense of self.

These findings apply even when people think about how their experiences differ. Knowing that another person has a better version of what you have can create a sense of social distance. What we observe, however, is that this distance feels less wide when it comes to experiential purchases compared with material ones.

We also discovered that experiential consumption fosters (促进) a sense of social connectedness more broadly, not just to those who have made a similar purchase. People who reflected on experiences they had acquired - rather than material goods - reported a broader sense of connection to humanity.

Finally, we found that after people think about a fulfilling experience, they express a greater desire to engage in social activities than they do after they reflect on an important possession. Experiences connect us with others, and they provide memories of such connection that people can revisit. These memories, in turn, can encourage engagement in even more sociality.

One clear takeaway from this research - like the many studies on experiential spending and happiness done to date - is that people would likely be wise to increase their spending on "doing" rather than "having." But our work points to another implication as well. Communities could benefit in many ways from encouraging experiential pursuits. Policymakers can support access to public parks, beaches and museums, for example. Improved funding for the arts and performance spaces can be a way for communities to ensure that shared experiences continue to bring people together. Directing resources toward more community engagement might promote improvements in societal well-being.