By: Dr. Fabiano de Abreu Agrela Rodrigues
The act of offering gifts can transcend the superficial interpretation of generosity, functioning as an expression of relational strategies structured by personality patterns. When the frequency and intensity of the behavior stand out in contrast to the relational context, it becomes relevant to analyze it in light of cluster B personality disorders, notably Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) and Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD), whose manifestation involves affective theatricalization and manipulation by external reinforcement.
In NPD, the gift may not be an act of empathy or altruism, but rather an instrument of control and maintenance of the grandiose self-concept. The delivery of the gift aims at emotional and symbolic return, operating as a feedback mechanism for the ego. This behavior is supported by a neurobiological profile in which the connectivity of the medial prefrontal cortex with limbic structures is altered, reducing responsiveness to empathy and affective reciprocity (Schulze et al., 2013).
In HPD, gift-giving appears as an emotionally activating and attention-seeking behavior. The need for constant stimulation and external approval leads the individual to gestures that appear generous, but are modulated by low tolerance to affective inhibition and by the dramatization of bonds, typical of brain structures that are hyperreactive to social judgment.
In contrast, individuals who do not exhibit these patterns of dramatization and external validation tend to express their social value through immaterial means, such as ideas, listening, strategic presence, or symbolic production. These behaviors, often associated with high levels of self-referential awareness and self-control, suggest profiles with greater functional integration between the limbic and executive systems, favoring the internalization of the value of relationships and the refusal to dramatize.
Therefore, the act of excessive gift-giving should be analyzed not as an isolated trait, but as an expression of a cognitive-emotional architecture that, under certain conditions, can signal adaptive dysfunctions in the affective and social fields. Clinical observation requires caution in interpretation and requires correlation with patterns of repetition, narrative coherence, and relational motivation.
References (ABNT):
SCHULZE, L. et al. Neural correlates of empathy in borderline personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, v. 37, n. 8, p. 2291–2303, 2013. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.03.018.
AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – DSM-5. 5th ed. Arlington: APA, 2013.
MONTARE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. Histrionic Personality Disorder. Available at: https://montarebehavioralhealth.com/blog/histrionic-personality-disorder/. Accessed on: April 25, 2025.
PSYCHOLOGY TODAY. Beware of Narcissists Giving Gifts. Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/lifetime-connections/201608/beware-of-narcissists-giving-gifts-strings-are-attached. Accessed on: April 25, 2025.
Dr. Fabiano de Abreu Agrela Rodrigues MRSB holds a post-PhD in Neuroscience and is an elected member of Sigma Xi – The Scientific Research Honor Society (more than 200 members of Sigma Xi have received the Nobel Prize), as well as being a member of the Society for Neuroscience in the United States, the Royal Society of Biology and The Royal Society of Medicine in the United Kingdom, the European Society of Human Genetics in Vienna, Austria, and the APA – American Philosophical Association in the United States. He holds a Master’s degree in Psychology and a Bachelor’s degree in History and Biology. He is also a Technologist in Anthropology and Philosophy, with several national and international degrees in Neuroscience and Neuropsychology. Dr. Fabiano is a member of prestigious high IQ societies, including Mensa International, Intertel, ISPE High IQ Society, Triple Nine Society, ISI-Society, and HELLIQ Society High IQ. He is the author of more than 300 scientific studies and 30 books. He is currently a visiting professor at PUCRS in Brazil, UNIFRANZ in Bolivia and Santander in Mexico. He also serves as Director of CPAH – Centro de Pesquisa e Análises Heráclito and is the creator of the GIP project, which estimates IQ through the analysis of genetic intelligence. Dr. Fabiano is also a registered journalist, having his name included in the book of records for achieving four records, one of which is for being the greatest creator of characters in the history of the press.