Dittmar, Helga and Drury, John (2000) Self-image - is it in the bag? A qualitative comparison between 'ordinary' and 'excessive' consumers. Journal of Economic Psychology, 21 (2). pp. 109-142. ISSN 0167-4870

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Abstract

An in-depth thematic analysis is presented of 32 interviews, which examined commonsense definitions of impulsive and planned buying, characteristics of typical impulse buy episodes, motivations for impulsive buying, issues of self-image and self-presentation, and regret. Ten interviews each were conducted with “ordinary” men and women consumers, and a further 10 with women classified as “excessive shoppers” (more commonly referred to as “compulsive buyers”). Two male excessive consumers were also interviewed. Distinctive patterns emerged for each different shopper group. Findings show that impulse buying, regret and other concepts have complex meanings beyond those that can be measured easily in survey research, and that the level of sophistication and reflexivity about one’s shopping behaviour is far greater in excessive shoppers. On the basis of the gender differences found, it is proposed that self and shopping are more closely linked for women than for men.

Item Type:	Article
Schools and Departments:	School of Psychology > Psychology
Depositing User:	Helga Dittmar
Date Deposited:	06 Feb 2012 15:38
Last Modified:	11 Nov 2019 14:49
URI:	http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/13689

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