Mark Zuckerberg got his wife a 7-foot statue of herself. A couples therapist said such a lavish gift might be a red flag.

Since the couple's wedding anniversary is in May and Chan's birthday is in February, the gift doesn't appear to be occasion-based.

Commenters on the Instagram post appear divided on whether the gesture — the work of the New York City-based contemporary artist Daniel Arsham — is sweet or cringeworthy.

But Isabelle Morley, a clinical psychologist in Massachusetts who specializes in couples therapy, told Business Insider that such a lavish gift might be a red flag.

Here's why.

Context is everything when it comes to extravagant gifts

Off the bat, Morley said expensive gifts may not hold the same weight among the uberwealthy.

Works by Arsham can sell for upward of $20,000 on some online marketplaces. Forbes estimated Zuckerberg's net worth to be above $185 billion as of Thursday.

But no matter the size of the giver's bank account, Morley always likes to ask: "What was the purpose of this gift?"

For those who come from less affluent backgrounds and have worked hard to be financially stable, an extravagant gift could be a way to show their progress without expecting much in return, Morley said.

"It honors what they've worked for and built and is a way of showcasing that and taking care of someone they love," she said.

But, Morley added, extravagant gifts can sometimes also be an attempt to manipulate the receiver or elicit a specific reaction from them.

"Some people use those gifts to repair after bad behavior or even abusive behavior, which I'm not saying the statue is, but that's always something you've got to be aware of," she added.

For people on the receiving end of a big present, Morley encourages exploring some key questions: Is it for an anniversary? Is there an expectation about how they should react?

"Was this, 'I did something wrong, I'm going to make up for it by giving you something shiny to make you forget about it?'" she added.

In Zuckerberg's case, Morley said the biggest red flag would be "if he commissioned this and spent God knows how much money and expected a certain reaction or response."

Sharing such a lavish gift on social media is another potential warning sign

Some people in relationships can be quick to post and praise their spouses online, Morley said.

Zuckerberg posted a photo of the statue to Instagram, where he has 14.5 million followers — sharing the gift with a wide audience.

Morley wonders why.

"Was it really just to show his deep love and gratitude for her and who she is, and who she's been in his life?" Morley said. "Or was it to make him look good to other people and to get a certain affectionate response from her."

Morley said she's particularly mindful of couples who feel "the need to show that kind of affection publicly" on highly curated social-media platforms. She cited some research she's read that suggests such displays could indicate the couples are less happy in real life.

"Was this a huge statue because Mark really wanted a huge statue?" Morley said. "Or was this because Priscilla was like, 'You know what? I love art. I would love a gigantic piece inspired by Roman architecture."

As to whether the gift is sweet or cringey, the only person whose opinion matters is Chan, Morley said.

It seems as if the statue has gotten Chan's seal of approval.

She commented on Zuckerberg's post, "The more of me the better?" with a red heart emoji, to which her husband responded "Always" with another red heart emoji.

"If she thinks it's sweet," Morley said, "it's sweet."

Correction: August 16, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated estimates for Mark Zuckerberg's net worth. Forbes' estimate was above $185 billion as of Thursday. The figure of $169 billion was a Bloomberg estimate from earlier this year.