ERIC Number: EJ1141756
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 3
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1082-1651
EISSN: N/A
Retail Therapy: In the News and in the Classroom
Lee, Jonggeun; Marcketti, Sara B.
Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences, v109 n1 p51-53 Win 2017
Retail therapy is suggested as a way for consumers to achieve happiness from the negative emotional state of modern life (Kang & Johnson, 2010). The practice of retail therapy has been referred to as "compensatory consumption" because it occurs "when an individual feels a need, lack, or desire which they cannot satisfy with a primary fulfillment so they seek and use an alternative means of fulfillment in its place" (Woodruffe-Burton, 1998, p. 301). In compensatory consumption behavior, consumers shop when they are feeling negative moods such as anxiety, depression, frustration, loneliness, and stress (Faber & Christenson, 1996; Kacen, 1998). In addition, during economic downturns, consumers tend to spend more time shopping, albeit purchasing lower quality and lower priced products (McKenzie & Schargrodsky, 2011). Some researchers suggest that the use of shopping to ward off negative moods may lead to shopping addiction, necessitating financial and psychological counseling (Palmer, 2012). Furthermore, the waste generated by over-consumption is environmentally unsound and unviable (Hvass, 2014).
Descriptors: Therapy, Consumer Science, Consumer Economics, Psychological Patterns, Positive Behavior Supports, Social Reinforcement, Retailing
American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. 400 North Columbus Street Suite 202, Alexandria, VA 22314. Tel: 800-424-8080; Tel: 703-706-4600; Fax: 703-706-4663; e-mail: bookstore@aafcs.org; Web site: http://www.aafcs.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A