Studies by Belk (1976, 1979) indicate that projection of an ideal self-concept takes precedence over actual self-concept and perceptions of recipient in both gift selection and symbolic encoding of gift by giver. Recently, Csikszent mihalyi and Rochberg-Halton(1981) have criticized depth psychology for its selective attention to object relations. Together with Mauss and Marx, these authors believe that once an individual invests psychic energy in an object, the object becomes "charged" with the energy of that agent. Objects become containers for the being of the donor, who gives a portion of that being to the recipient. This metaphoric conception of gift exchange alludes to the symbolic encoding of the gift with connotative meaning.