The Role of Mental Health and Media
in Shaping Impulsive Consumer Behavior

90.42% of Gen Z and Millennials engage in impulsive online shopping, according to McDonald’s ‘Survey Reveals Top Reasons Gen Zers and Millennials Make Impulse Purchases.’ This behavior can serve as a coping mechanism for individuals with mental health issues, reinforcing negative emotions and leading to a cycle of emotional distress and reckless spending. By examining how cognitive biases and personality traits influence buying decisions, we’ll see how mental health factors contribute to impulsive shopping, worsening the impact on both financial stability and well-being.

Mental health plays a crucial role in shaping cognitive buying behavior. For individuals with mood disorders, fluctuations in mental state can drive impulsive purchasing as a way to improve their mood. However, this temporary relief often leads to feelings of guilt and emotional distress, creating a cycle of compulsive buying. In cases like compulsive buying disorder, the link between mental health and impulsive buying is even more direct, with mental state playing a key role in driving these behaviors.

 In Psychiatry Research, Brook et al. comment that compulsive buying disorder is characterized by persistent, repetitive buying behavior that is primarily in response to negative stimuli, such as negative feelings or circumstances, and affects one quality of life. Brook et al. continue, mentioning that those suffering with this disorder tend to find themselves with issues such as financial difficulties, debt, and credit card abuse. As proven by Psychiatry Research, compulsive buying disorder is no joke as this disorder is a behavioral addiction, and is known to stem from atypical childhood and adolescent environments.

In the digital era, a disorder such as compulsive buying disorder is as easy as any to exploit. Online platforms are made to enable such negative impulsive behavior through buying features such as one-click purchasing, targeted advertisements, and limited-time offers, which create a fake sense of urgency. In individuals with compulsive buying disorder, such elements can further a cycle of behavior where negative feelings lead to irresponsible purchases, continuing feelings of guilt and financial strain. This isn’t something unsurprising, though, as platforms are aware of cognitive buying behavior as well as mental health disorders that fuel their ever growing businesses.

Take Julia for example, who Kamm details as a middle aged woman wrestling a failing marriage, two restless twins, her ill elder father, and a shaky career. The stressed woman, after her long days, goes scrolling, spending over eight hours a day scrolling for clothes. Kamm noted that Julia began to feel agitated once she was unable to get her fix of scrolling, much like an addict to any other thing. Though, the real issue, despite her only respite in her spiraling life being doom scrolling, was the effect her impulsivity had on her family. Kamm explains that Julia, scrolling through her feed for the perfect boots, neglected to watch her children who played in the park. It was because of this that Julia failed to see her daughter fall off a swing, in which case some other mother picked up her daughter. Julia’s doom scrolling inevitably had a personal impact, leading Julia to be neglectful towards her responsibilities as a mother. Even if Julia’s personal life was already in shambles, the effect of her impulsive online shopping habits had still managed to bleed into her familial life.

The effects of the exploitative nature of online shopping in understanding cognitive buying behavior go beyond mere financial loss; these online businesses inflict damage on their consumers’ personal lives as well. Psychiatry Research further states that those suffering from compulsive buying disorder often face marital discord, family issues, and emotional hardship as a direct result of this exploitation. Online shopping platforms, while profiting from consumers’ vulnerabilities, neglect the emotional toll their practices impose. This exploitation not only undermines individual well-being but also destroys relationships, and calls attention to a troubling disconnect between corporate profit motives and the mental health of consumers. Mental health disorders that deal with impulsivity such as compulsive buying disorder directly influence an individual’s cognitive buying behavior. However, a more thorough understanding of what influences such cognitive buying behaviors can be gained by looking at various personality traits.

In understanding personality traits used in psychology of personality, one can reference two cognitive buying behaviors that are predictable based on certain personality traits. The article “The personality puzzle: A comprehensive analysis of its impact on three buying behaviors” defines Impulsive buying as making a random, not thought through, and direct purchase, known to be strongly evident in those who show to have a high score on neuroticism, a trait defined by unstable emotions and being prone to negative moods. The trait  influences individuals with high neuroticism to make rash purchases based on their emotional instability, and thus increasing the possibility of impulsive buying behavior. Not only this, but the higher the neurotic trait, the more likely one is to make a purchase decision that will ease their negative mood. In such a connection, a distinct influence of psychological traits in cognitive buying behaviors is highlighted.

Aquino, S. D., & Lins, S. note that another behavior, compulsive buying, described as uncontrolled buying that promotes harm and distress, is typically predicted by the openness, agreeableness, and neurotic traits. As clarified by Aquino, S. D., & Lins, S, openness refers to the extent to which an individual is willing to try new experiences and engage in analytical thinking. On the other hand, Aquino, S. D., & Lins, S explain that agreeableness is typically understood as how friendly, cooperative, and compassionate a person is towards others.

In understanding all three psychological personality traits, correlations can be drawn regarding their influence on compulsive buying behavior. Individuals high in openness are often more willing to try new products and experiences, which can lead to compulsive and unplanned purchases. Furthermore, those with a high level of agreeableness may have a tendency to prioritize the needs of others, thus promoting overspending and compulsive buying. Not only this , individuals scoring high in neuroticism increase their likelihood of making compulsive purchases as a way to cope with their negative moods. Their emotional instability can drive them to seek immediate gratification through shopping, furthering their compulsive behaviors. In understanding all three of the traits and how they interconnect with compulsive buying behaviors, the relationship between personality traits and consumer behavior is shown.

Cognitive buying behaviors are shaped by mental health and personality traits, both of which heavily influence the normality or abnormality of an individual’s buying behavior. In examining mental health through compulsive buying disorder, the abstract reasoning of their purchasing habits is made clear. Formed through hardship and adverse childhood experiences, the condition further brings the individual’s quality of life down due to their cognitive process. Their atypical way of coping with their negative moods exemplifies their cognitive reasoning, thus leading to a debilitating behavior and disorder.

In connection to impulsive and compulsive buying behaviors seen throughout consumers, the direct link to this pattern of behavior stems not inherently from media, but from the rise of adverse childhood experiences. 

Adverse childhood experiences, also known as ACE’s, are, according to General Hospital Psychiatry in an article titled “Prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and associated physical and mental health problems amongst hospital patients: Results from a cross-sectional study”, differing types of abuse including emotional, physical, sexual, negligence, and neglect experienced by children under the age of 18. Many experience ACE’s, some more than others, and such experience with these traumatic events are linked to impairment of the “development of the nervous, endocrine and immune systems”, as per the aforementioned article. Impairment of the nervous system, which is responsible for a multitude of functions, including emotion, memory, and learning, are key factors for the developmental process in decision making. 

With an impaired development process in aspects of decision making, the experience of ACE’s can therefore lead to poor decision making in adults who deal with compulsive and impulsive buying behavior. This is further supported as the General Hospital Psychiatry then goes on to state that “ACE’s were also associated with patterns of dysfunctional health-harming behaviors in adult life”. For that reason it can be said that the higher ACE’s one is exposed to in early life, the more likely one will be susceptible to the self-harming coping mechanisms seen in those subjected to compulsive and impulsive buying behavior. 

Seemingly, the rise of ACE’s and the rise of media fashion binging are both taking the west by storm. General Hospital Psychiatry commented that 43 to 74% of the general western population have experienced at least one type of ACE, while 7-21% detailed they’d experienced at least four. Leaving the question; could the rise of the experiences with ACE’s be enforcing the negative consumer behavior down the line? 

The short answer; yes. A study done by the Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma specifically looked into the relationship between ACE’s and later in life impulsive spending, and found a connection between the two. As found by the Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma, “greater childhood trauma predicted increased impulsive spending via greater impulsivity and emotional dysregulation”. Which makes sense, as emotional dysregulation, seen commonly in those who’ve experienced abuse and traumatic experiences, deals with mood swings, intense emotions, and difficulty dealing with stress. All of which aid in the production of impulsivity and impulsive buying behavior. 

As stated prior, many who’ve experienced ACE’s end up using damaging coping mechanisms, and this has been further supported as those who have a hard time dealing with stress, experience mood swings, and intense emotions often look for an outlet. In this case impulsive buying, which, as defined by the article “The Personality Puzzle: a comprehensive analysis of its impact on three buying behaviors”, is defined as making a random, not thought through, and direct purchase. In the case of manipulative media and fashion purchases, the Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma “found that individuals who are susceptible to impulse spending often engage in the behavior to improve their mood.” The evidence of which further connects that the experience of ACE’s can almost directly lead to impulsive buying behavior as a coping mechanism. Even how they’re coping is a direct cause of their experienced ACE’s, as the impulsivity experienced by the individual may be due to impaired development of the nervous system, which is in charge of impulse control regulation. 

In a final conclusion drawn by the study, the Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma discovered that “Childhood trauma showed a weak but significant positive correlation with impulsive spending, indicating that greater exposure to childhood trauma increases the likelihood that an individual will impulsively spend in later life”. Though weak, the correlation between ACE’s and impulsive spending does hold, and even more interestingly leaves room for more reasons as to what else may cause impulsive buying behavior. 

Such a gap leaves room for speculation that beyond ACE’s the root cause for impulsive spending may be the generational rise of media marketing. Each and every day, as the media takes a firmer hold of the billions of people on this planet, the masses are suspected to add after add. It is not just a phenomenon, but a culture encrusted in trigger happy consumers who go on to suggest what their friends’ next dopamine hit of a purchase should be. Our attention spans are not the only aspect taking a hit, yet our impulse control as well.

Either way, the Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma suggests that “psychological therapies should seek to reduce impulsivity and improve emotion regulation to mitigate impulse spending in those with histories of early adversity and childhood trauma.” While this may help, the advice feels more so like a given. Of course therapy would help, but who’s going to go? The consumer, who feels more than justified in their purchases? The issue with such a suggestion is that until their impulsive buying behavior devastatingly cripples them, they will likely not go. The key is rather to dedicate more resources to children who are currently experiencing ACE’s, and nip the future problem in the butt before it can even take hold. All the while, the aforementioned services may remain for those who chose to go, or those forced by family members who recognize the problem.

Further connected to this societal issue is that, at a base level, America is a consumerist society, enveloped in a culture of buying and selling. Which would of course mean that our consumer issue stems from the societal structure, right? Well, no, as the use of media is the real reason for our gross overconsumption. Without media, and corporations’ use of media, consumerism in America would not have gotten as out of control as it is today.

Society as we know it today is surrounded in consumerist culture, and we see this throughout everyday life. The teen girls who once cherished Stanley cups have now moved onto Owala cups, and the middle aged moms who went from rural countryside decor to minimalist grayscale decor. At every turn, the people of America are catered too, their every possibly materialized need right in their reach. However, an article titled “Modern Consumerist Culture, Its Drawbacks and Benefits” argues that “consumerism by itself is a part of the general process of social control and cultural hegemony in modern society.” So as such the blatant consumerist culture within American society is natural, to a point, at least in a modern context. 

Though, when did America become so obsessed with consumerism? The article “Modern Consumerist Culture, Its Drawbacks and Benefits” states that American consumerism “started after the Second World War and developed with the industrial revolution.” As such, the article affirms that as people migrated “to cities, people began to lose contact with their cultural roots: ethnic tradition, family ties, and spiritual foundations.” Thus, subjecting people in the cities to the meaningless pursuit of creating material needs, and buying material needs, rather than pursuing a community enriched in ethnic tradition, familial ties, and spiritual foundations. Which, according to the article, leads to “an emptiness in one’s self.” A perfect emptiness for the consumption of goods to fill.

America, being a consumerist society, has key identifiers which link self worth to the consumption of goods. An article titled “CONSUMPTION, CONSUMER CULTURE AND CONSUMER SOCIETY” goes on to list a few identifiers, including that “to consume is the surest perceived route to personal happiness, social status and national success”, “you are what you own and the more you own, the happier you will be”, and that “in a consumer society, people use spending and materialism as a way to build a new ego or become a new person by buying products which support their self-image.” All three identifiers are abhorrently perceivable within today’s society, thus further going to prove that America is a consumerist society. There is a culture around our consumerist society, something that is perpetuated throughout generations, and has been perpetuated long before online media was around. Ever heard of the saying “Keeping up with the Joneses”? It is a saying that goes to say that people are constantly trying to keep up with the material items they think make them better than others. The new car. The new clothes. The new fencing. Whatever. Our perceived value has consistently, at least since the industrial revolution, correlated with our material possessions, and with or without the media American society would continue to function that way.

I’d argue that the use of media is the root cause of worsening consumerism, even if by nature America is a consumerist society. In the modern age, there is not a moment when someone is separated from their phone, and as the article “THE SOCIAL MEDIA’S EFFECT ON STUDENT CONSUMPTION BEHAVIOR” states, “Social media is no longer about lifestyle but has become a necessity that cannot be separated from everyday life.” We don’t have to “leave the house or go shopping”, instead we can just “order food, it doesn’t take long for the food to come to our house”, as the article stated. Media use in our society is too embedded in our lives to be anything but the reason for our overconsumption of material items, and as the article states “the convenience of these conveniences makes us more consumptive” in general.

As per the article, “Consumerism: its impact on the health of adolescents”, the “Corporations are well aware of the powerful influence that media have on … people.” Such big corporations market strategically, using deals and psychological techniques, to lure people into their brands and to buy, buy, and keep buying. Going back to the article “THE SOCIAL MEDIA’S EFFECT ON STUDENT CONSUMPTION BEHAVIOR”, the authors state a great way in which people are manipulated by corporations through media, they state “Customers are often asked to ‘like’ a company on Facebook, to ‘follow’ a company on Twitter, or to ‘connect’ via LinkedIn.” Actions which in turn facilitate “customers become more connected to the company, more knowledgeable about product choices, and more strong in buyer and seller relationship.” Thus allowing trust in the companies they splurge their money at, thus leading the buyers to more likely spend at their stores and to spend more while in the store. 

Ever since the introduction of media into everyday society, corporations have been digging their claws into the platforms to find ways to pull more and more buyers into their doors, and the media is their most prized tool. “Young people between the ages 8 and 18 years spend 6 hours and 43 minutes each day using media”, says the article “Consumerism: its impact on the health of adolescents.” Corporations know this, and as such “American teens are now exposed to an estimated 3,000 advertising messages each day, which accumulate to 10 million advertisements by the time they are 18 years old.” In what other way would the perpetuation of consumerism reach such a scale other than media? Sure, America by itself is steeped in a consumerist culture, but with the rise of media, specifically media, the growth of over consumption has amounted to an unthinkable scale. Such a problem that could possibly not have existed if media was not so easily accessible. 

As we continue to navigate this media-saturated world, it is crucial to recognize the power of media in shaping our values and behaviors, and to consider how we might shift our relationship with consumption in a way that prioritizes sustainability and well-being over unchecked material accumulation.

References

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Brook, J. S., Zhang, C., Brook, D. W., & Leukefeld, C. G. (2015). Compulsive buying: Earlier illicit drug use, impulse buying, depression, and adult ADHD symptoms. Psychiatry Research, 228(3), 312–317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2015.05.09

Bryn, A., S, & Michael, R. (2001). Consumerism: its impact on the health of adolescents. Adolescent Medicine, 12(3), 389-. Retrieved from https://www.proquest.com/docview/215205605?parentSessionId=8XLlS7hDR5UjGr1dxrFR0B9Vqy1Dk42wZYfsiUcNnbI%3D&pq-origsite=primo&sourcetype=Scholarly%20Journals

Firat, A., Kutucuoglu, K. Y., Saltik, I. A., & Tunçel, Ö. (2013). CONSUMPTION, CONSUMER CULTURE AND CONSUMER SOCIETY. Retrieved November 26, 2024, from Proquest.com website: https://www.proquest.com/docview/1369719259?accountid=13605&parentSessionId=yEsMIk1iQoITf9nFVozTVVu9m%2BCpqnHng8y1USnoDzA%3D&pq-origsite=primo&sourcetype=Scholarly%20Journals

Fitrianna, H. (2022). The Social Media’s Effect on Student Consumption Behavior. Jurnal Bisnis Dan Kajian Strategi Manajemen, 6(1). Retrieved from http://jurnal.utu.ac.id/jbkan/article/view/5364/2854

Kamm, R. (2020, May 26). “It Made Me Hate Myself”: How the Urge to Shop Can Ruin Lives. Retrieved November 20, 2024, from VICE website: https://www.vice.com/en/article/it-made-me-hate-myself-how-the-urge-to-shop-can-ruin-lives/

Richardson, T., Annelise Egglishaw, & Sood, M. (2024). Does Childhood Trauma Predict Impulsive Spending in Later Life? An Analysis of the Mediating Roles of Impulsivity and Emotion Regulation. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-023-00600-7

Riedl, D., Lampe, A., Exenberger, S., Nolte, T., Trawöger, I., & Beck, T. (2020). Prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and associated physical and mental health problems amongst hospital patients: Results from a cross-sectional study. General Hospital Psychiatry, 64, 80–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2020.03.005

McDonald, J. (2024, June 26). Survey Reveals Top Reasons Gen Zers and Millennials Make Impulse Purchases. Retrieved November 20, 2024, from BadCredit.org website: https://www.badcredit.org/studies/gen-z-and-millennial-impulse-purchases/

Perera, H. S. C., & Gunawardana, T. S. L. W. (2014, February 26). Modern Consumerist Culture, Its Drawbacks and Benefits. Retrieved November 26, 2024, from Citeseerx website: https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=839c6d34195e6b2c254a77893a5310c615ce0c5e