THE SCIENCE OF TRICK-OR-TREATING: WHY DO WE GIVE OUT CANDY?

Trick-or-treating is a Halloween tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages.

[{"selector":"#anim-327416f6-2ad2-470d-b611-b1fe7edb058c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-36bb65e5-3074-41e3-9b86-4d3212656093","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 47.17202%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Giving out candy is a way to participate in this tradition and contribute to the community.

[{"selector":"#anim-93cc2c19-b121-42df-9a82-374f60ead507","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a744d56e-e242-4310-82bd-66d12d11bd2f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 40.84672%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Psychologically, receiving candy can create a sense of reward and pleasure in children.

[{"selector":"#anim-a243dea5-1533-4fd5-82b8-7313a25cd3bb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-da582253-d292-445d-9733-b4106f302e58","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 39.94311%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Social norms also play a role in the tradition of giving out candy on Halloween.

[{"selector":"#anim-8c1e25c8-15be-4412-8242-35574f7fadbc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4bc059e0-3882-43f3-a730-3d569b4c4076","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 41.44913%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

LIKE

[{"selector":"#anim-3570bfff-1fce-4173-9154-7d5bfba2723c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-626de862-9a5b-40e2-9e85-756c61c92265","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.27712%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-da214d4c-6cd9-4191-a1b4-a004d9419f04","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-09d5705a-6a74-4afe-979e-1f6a88565da0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.88496%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4f7d714c-842a-4e0c-9dd6-1269e792582f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-31e02003-edf6-4d71-9571-56824f2ef780","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.27712%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e6edc5a7-2014-43a9-9c5b-a3cc249dbfd0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c469da0b-d0b6-4f87-82a4-336456260725","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.88496%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-49815c79-5115-41dd-bbec-efd6108024b5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-40b83bd2-91c1-493a-9128-6bc353c2fbfa","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-111.64179%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

The act of giving out candy can create a sense of community and belonging.

[{"selector":"#anim-9a5c2c0e-4065-48dd-aee0-dc691fd9e21f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-180b39e4-252b-45f4-ade5-bf54b090f282","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 39.49130%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Candy companies have also played a role in promoting the tradition of giving out candy on Halloween.

[{"selector":"#anim-8613ba31-8e68-47a4-8ca0-9d5e301c09ab","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-190e4042-7ea0-4808-ad27-61cba7282b78","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 38.88889%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Overall, the tradition of giving out candy on Halloween is a complex mix of history, psychology, and social norms.

[{"selector":"#anim-1b31849f-eb4d-4607-b53e-ef726650fe38","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bdb376d4-ac9e-465d-a1cd-3d11f59ed2cb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 38.88889%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

FOLLOW

[{"selector":"#anim-777d6a13-12e7-4230-a479-fc4761a89c5b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cd3bce18-6ca0-4884-8ace-255fad589635","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.86069%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-31978b64-3047-4dba-b35b-ace9bf791a51","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ee6668bc-1c65-47d7-9e4c-398b5f7ce506","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.27712%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c3980bd7-76c9-4067-baee-3b2a53931877","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f046e8df-a558-4e58-8d82-a053adb18b1a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.27272%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f3dad779-b92c-46c3-b0e4-58810662db78","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-be0fd983-cbd2-4e89-8c6f-4218aa787ad4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(92.03540%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f397623f-101e-45c7-9bbb-1271fa4c2b93","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e4bc0d28-7cb6-4048-ad0b-8ca6caa2888c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.88496%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more