The Bible says it's better to give than to receive, and science agrees.

A new study released Friday in the journal "science" found that people who gave gifts to others or to charities were happier than those who did not.

Earlier reports almost always linked more money to increased happiness, but researchers wanted to know if it mattered how that money was spent.

And it did.

"This work suggests that even making small alterations in how we spend money on a daily basis can make a difference in happiness," lead researcher Elizabeth Dunn said.

Dunn is an an assistant professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia. The school partnered with Harvard University to conduct the study.

Dunn added that she doesn't see anything "special" about money, and noted that giving doesn't need a large price tag, and can be in other forms like time or advice.

"(It) doesn't mean go get a high paying job so you can spend tons of money on others," she said. "The message is, given what you have, how can you make little alterations to do something for others."

Source: Associated Press