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Few people know that the expression about taking your time in making a decision, “better late than never,” was said by the Roman historian Titus Livy, who lived in 59 BC - 17 AD.
In society, the phrase is pronounced with reproach, but that is not the point.
Scientists from the USA and Israel decided to check how true this saying is by modern standards.
Representatives from Ohio State University and the Israel Institute of Technology worked on this topic.
The results were published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology.
More than 3,800 Americans were surveyed and asked to tell how horses would react to belated gifts.
It turned out that those who are late with a gift are more worried about the prospects of the relationship than the person for whom the gift is intended.
An untimely congratulation is also not perceived as something negative and does not change the attitude towards the person.
However, the risk of deterioration in relations increases depending on the duration of the delay.
An objective assessment of the situation is possible only if the person who is late with congratulations puts himself in the place of the person whom he had to congratulate on time.
This is unlikely to correct the situation, but such practice will reduce the level of anxiety.
But as the survey shows, there is no need to worry about the development of the relationship.