title: Effects of mood induction on consumers with vs. without compulsive buying propensity: an experimental study.
abstract: Compulsive buying (CB) is excessive and leads to impairment and distress. Several studies aimed to explore the phenomenology and antecedents of CB, especially affective states. However, these studies mostly used retrospective self-report and mostly focused on compulsive buyers only. Therefore, this study aims to directly compare consumers with CB propensity and controls on experimental proxies of buying behavior and to investigate 1) effects of neutral vs. negative mood inductions and 2) whether mood effects on buying behavior are specific to CB. Forty female consumers with CB propensity and 40 female controls were randomly assigned to a neutral or negative mood induction. Buying related behavior (likelihood to expose oneself to a shopping situation, urge and probability to buy, willingness to pay) was assessed. Consumers with CB propensity differed from controls in all buying behavior aspects except for willingness to pay. Neither main effects of mood nor group×mood interaction effects on buying behavior were found. However, consumers with CB propensity were emotionally more strongly affected by a negative mood induction. Although negative affect has previously been reported to precede buying episodes in CB, our findings do not indicate specific negative mood effects on buying, neither in CB nor in controls.
authors.affiliation: Christoph-Dornier-Stiftung Münster, Schorlemerstraße 26, 48143 Münster, Germany; Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University, Gebäude 23.03, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany. Electronic address: sinje.vogt@uni-duesseldorf.de.
authors.forename: Sinje
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vogt
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology, University of Münster, Fliednerstraße 21, 48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Antje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hunger
authors.affiliation: Mittelrhein-Klinik Bad Salzig, Salzbornstraße 14, 56154 Boppard-Bad Salzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Türpe
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University, Gebäude 23.03, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pietrowsky
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, University of Cologne, Pohligstraße 1, 50969 Köln, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Gerlach
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D003192:Compulsive Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D057566:Self Report; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Addictive buying; Mood induction; Pathological buying