The experience of physical stimuli seems to be pretty cut and dry—electric shocks hurt and candy tastes good—but some recent research suggests that physical experience depends upon something intangible—the intentions of others. In particular, stimuli given with benevolence is experienced as better, and stimuli given with malice feels worse.

In one study, participants received a series of electric shocks from another person, and were led to believe that they were either given maliciously, benevolently, or accidentally. Relative to the accidental shocks, those given maliciously were rated as physically more painful. Likewise, benevolently intended shocks hurt significantly less.

In another study, participants were given a candy that was apparently selected for them by another person. With the candy was a note from this person, which read either “I picked this just for you. I hope it makes you happy!” (benevolent condition) or “I just picked this randomly. I don’t care. Whatever.” (control condition). Relative to the control condition, those who ate the benevolently given candy found it not only tasted better, but also sweeter.

Why does this occur? Humans are incredibly social creatures, and we are all sensitively attuned to the intentions of others. These intentions can obviously change our experience of social events—just imagine the same comment of “nice jeans” with either a smile or a sneer—but they can also change our experience of physical events. What these studies suggest is that our experience of the world at every level is influenced by the social context in which it occurs. They all suggest an answer to the age-old question of why grandma’s cookies taste so good—because they are baked with love.

Kurt Gray is a social psychologist and the director of the Mind Perception and Morality Lab at the University of Maryland.