Counterintuitive Fall 2024

The DANGERS of Carbon-Plated Shoes TO High Mileage Runners

Long distance running is evolving rapidly. Shoe technology is evolving with it, but with each new technology comes risk to the athlete. Modern race shoes have been affectionately nicknamed “super shoes” for their almost unbelievable boost to racing performance. However, when it comes to running in carbon plated shoes long term, they cause weakness in foot and calf muscles leading to injuries.

The modern carbon-plated shoe most commonly has a curved carbon plate throughout the outsole. In professional athletics there is a one plate limit and as such most commercial shoes also follow this rule. Some examples of modern carbon-plated shoes include the Nike Vaporfly, the Nike Alphafly, and the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro series’ of shoes. The curved nature of the modern carbon plates leads to the rocker effect that is sought after by manufacturers and athletes. Many people focus too much on the stiffness of the plate however stiffness is only helpful if it pushes the athlete forward. The rocker effect is what helps the athlete’s foot roll through their stride while the stiffness gives them a boost at the end. A flat plate doesn’t do this and as such the performance returns are much lower. This distinction is the reason the flat carbon plate is no longer relevant and not included in the carbon-plated shoes produced and studied today.

The shoe’s redistribution of load is the primary concern when it comes to weakness. Weakness in the context of elite and consistent runners is seen on a completely different scale to that of a normal person. The most dangerous weakness is not the overall weakest muscle in a runner, it is the weakness with the most disparity compared to the surrounding muscles. These kinds of weaknesses lead to the overuse of the surrounding muscles and a much higher risk of injury. 

A person with two weak hips is less likely to get injured than a person with one weak hip because of our bodies ability to overcome issues by cheating for a short time. If a redistribution of load is done because of a weakness it causes short term gain, because the athlete can continue to run, but often ends in an injury because the areas that are suddenly under greater stress eventually fail and pick up an injury of some sort. If load redistribution is done by something else, a different type of shoe for example, the end result is the same. Any area that suddenly comes under greater stress will eventually fail and become injured. 

Injury risk is something that every athlete tries to minimize. For most athletes this includes being smart on their playing field but for long distance runners it is about maintaining strength throughout all muscles, no matter how small. Muscle strength disparities in localized areas have been proven to increase the risk of injury. One of the most crucial ways of avoiding this is maintaining a consistent form. On an athlete by athlete basis many different shoes cause issues including ankle eversion. Ankle eversion is when a person’s sole moves away from the body’s midline, or if an athlete picks up the outside of their foot and only uses the inside. This can be a very small change and go unnoticed but over time it can create new or exacerbate old muscle imbalances.

Overuse injuries are the kind of injury most common for long distance runners. The term overuse injuries is a broad overarching term that includes many different types of injuries. For runners these injuries are often not from pure overuse but quick redistribution in load to a new muscle that can not handle it for the type of mileage most long distance runners run in their weekly training. These injuries are the main focus of studies when talking about distance running due to acute injuries being much more similar to a game of chance. Coaches and trainers have a much better chance at preventing overuse injuries and as such they focus their efforts on doing so.  Overuse injuries exclude some of the most common injuries in the normal world and instead are made up of injuries like stress fractures, strains, and aggravated muscles, tendons, and nerves. They are often nebulous and difficult to pin down.

Long distance is often defined in race distance and is 5000 meters or more. Training as a long distance runner has weekly mileage goals and to be considered an experienced long distance runner the bare minimum is 40 miles a week. Less than that is good for inexperienced or shorter distance runners and does not constitute long term or heavy use of a carbon plated running shoe. For consistent use one must run in the carbon plated shoe for at least 6 miles at a time. The use of the shoe should be proportional to the weekly mileage. 15 miles a week for a 40 miles a week total athlete is consistent use whereas for an 80 mile a week runner it is purely complementary use. At minimum 40 percent of weekly mileage needs to be in the carbon plated shoe for it to be considered consistent use and this must be maintained for at least a month to see long term effects. To study the effects, shorter distances can be used but will fail to fully encompass all long term effects for a long distance runner.

The standard use of a carbon plated running shoe is to use them during workouts and races and not during recovery or steady state runs. Steady state consists of runs that are not for the purpose of recovery or to workout, essentially a neutral run. This style of usage is typically minimal and reduces the risk. Training in this way was encouraged by the fact that most shoes with carbon plates were expensive and geared toward racing and performance. As more people start to enjoy the benefits of running in a carbon plated shoe however, more shoes have carbon plates. 

One example of a shoe that is closer to a recovery shoe, than a race shoe is the Nike Zoom Fly 5. The earlier generations of this shoe were widely considered good workout shoes, but the Zoom Fly 5 was different. It was heavier and had a less fast foam. Whether that be through a miss on Nikes part or a calculated move towards every day trainer, the result was increased day to day use. With the shoe feeling more like a recovery day trainer people started racking up the mileage. Another example is the previous generation, the Nike Zoom Fly 4. This had no issue being a fast workout shoe but was so well liked by many that they stretched the usage. This had the same result as the Zoom Fly 5, people were wearing a shoe with a carbon plate more than they had in the past. This is the type of consistent use that can lead to injuries. Training that isn’t mindful and the overuse of workout shoes may be acceptable for hobby joggers but over 40 miles a week this can become a real issue that most certainly constitutes consistent and long term use.

Long distance runners have to be very careful with how they manage their training load in order to avoid injury. Making sure the training load is distributed in a way their bodies can handle is important. One important part of this is managing the load in a given area.

One way the load in a given area can change in a way that leads to injury is through form fatigue and alteration. Form fatigue occurs when an athlete is tired. They may know the best way to run but when an athlete is tired they may start to cheat or become unable to run in their normal style due to fatigue. According to a study done by the Institute of Biomechanics and Orthopaedics in Cologne, Germany there is a significant increase in rearfoot and ankle eversion. High levels of ankle eversion was found at a much higher level in injured runners in a study done by Azusa Pacific University and California State University. A study done by the Department of Health and Sport Science at Wake Forest corroborated this claim in their own independent study. These three studies show that form changes can and do lead to overuse injuries. The more one runs the more important it is to keep form consistent. A study done by a group of fellows from a variety of sports medicine fellowship programs shows that increases in training load comes with greater risk of injury. This can be attributed to the lower margin of error when the training load is high. With a high training load there is significantly less room for error in form and training. Sudden changes in either can lead to the mismanagement of load to areas of the body that can’t handle it. After years of training the muscles become used to the load that is put on them. If an inexperienced runner attempted to start running 80 miles a week they would get injured. The same principle applies if an experienced runner tries to put 80 miles of training load onto a new muscle or joint. The muscle or joint is not prepared for the huge increase in load and therefore injuries are very common. 

Form can be altered by footwear as well. One of the most common reasons for an injury is inadequate footwear. Typically that comes in the form of dead shoes or the misapplication of shoe type. For the average person one or two runs in sneakers would not hurt them. For runners with high mileage and training load the misapplication of footwear is much more nuanced and volatile. No one recommends doing high mileage in sneakers. An inexperienced runner may however do consistent mileage in a shoe not meant for consistent use. Shoes mainly fall into three categories: everyday wear, workout shoes, and race shoes. Carbon plated shoes typically fall into the latter two but recently they have become much more widespread. This leads to inexperienced runners using carbon plated shoes in new applications.

Carbon plated shoes have been studied many times for performance but there are minimal studies looking into the long term effects. One study done by the Chemnitz University of Technology (CUT), had their subjects run for 10 kilometers in carbon plated shoes reported that there was significant form alteration by the final kilometer. They reported that the runners altered their form to optimize the load on their lower extremities while still maintaining performance. This alteration helps with performance but over time could lead to weaknesses and injuries. 

Slight weaknesses and instabilities in the foot and ankle affect the whole leg. A study done by the American Podiatric Medical Association found that altered or malfunctioning foot alignment has far reaching repercussions like the changing of gait. The changing of gait can lead to weakness, instability, and eventually injuries. One of the more interesting studies was done by the University of Salzburg in partnership with the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center . That study was done on an experienced elite female endurance athlete and showed a change in footfall patterns over short distances. The study emphasized the essential nature of individualized training because when that particular athlete used the carbon plated shoes an old injury cropped up. When the carbon plated shoes altered the form of the athlete it forced her into her old injury and caused pain. Injuries like these are what leads people to the anecdotal evidence that carbon plated shoes lead to long term problems. Individualization makes studies on distance running difficult. Individualized training is becoming more and more common and with it comes many individual challenges. Athletes who have a high training load have to make sure that the shoes work for them because if they don’t the consequences can hurt a career long term.

When paired with the study done by CUT that showed that form changed more over time there is a reasonable worry that having athletes run more in carbon plated shoes could lead to injuring them. Studies like the ones done by CUT and the University of Salzburg that show clear changes in gait and footfall patterns also show increases in injury risk and should be used to show the need for caution when using carbon plated shoes. 

Ankle load redistribution is a key part of the story when it comes to the risks of using carbon plated shoes. Multiple studies including the one done by CUT, a study done by the University of Calgary ,  another study done by California State University, and one done by Iowa State University (ISU) found significant redistribution of load on the ankle. Unfortunately the limited number of studies and the gradual nature of the issue, mean that the studies have not been able to find specific areas of the ankle that are loaded differently. The ISU study found increased ankle aversion with carbon plated running shoes, however the sample size was not enough that they could confidently reject the null and say that it was the carbon plated shoes specifically. Ankle eversion is one of the main causes of peroneal tendinopathy according to a study published in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics journal. If indeed the widely confirmed significant ankle redistribution is ankle aversion then it would be a significant factor in the long term increase in injury risk when using carbon plated shoes. 

As studies on super shoes have come out, two different ideologies have formed. One group believes that super shoes increase injury risk over time, but the other group believes the complete opposite. They point to the reduced stress and improved ability to handle overall training load, to show that shoes with a carbon plate reduce injury risk. 

An article in the MIT Technology Review considers this exact position. They interview David Kirui, a physical therapist that treats many of Kenya’s top marathon runners. He estimated that overuse injuries were down by around 25% due to the increased use of super shoes. His ideology was supported by Jonathan Maiyo, an experienced racer and elite road runner since 2007, who said that “in the old shoes, after 10 marathons you’d be completely exhausted.” He sees a huge change in this and now says that “10 marathons are like nothing.” The group of Kenyans coach Claudio Berardelli estimated that his athletes do at least 60% of their mileage in super shoes. 

Kenyan distance runners subscribe to the high mileage strategy completely. Weekly mileage for world class marathon runners like the group mentioned is often around 220 kilometers or about 137 miles. The late Kelvin Kiptum who had a meteoric rise to prominence reportedly had a regular mileage of 280 kilometers or about 173 miles a week. That equates to 24 miles a day and is clearly high mileage. If the group interviewed ran the estimate of 137 miles and we take the low estimate of 60% of mileage in super shoes, it would tell us that they run around 80 miles a week in carbon plated shoes. 

It would make sense if, because of the high volume, these athletes saw an increase in injuries over time. There are a few different reasons I think we don’t see this. First is the reduction of stress professional athletes see when they go pro. Especially in Kenya athletes are often doing a huge training volume without proper equipment before they go pro. Kelvin Kiptum is a prime example of this. Before he became one of the most well known marathon runners in the world, he was doing his training barefoot. While there have been some documented benefits to training barefoot, it is widely known that high mileage barefoot is unsustainable. When he went pro it can be reasonably assumed that there was a huge reduction in musculoskeletal stress for the same amount of training. A similar reduction should be found when super shoes are introduced. The difference is that over time the redistribution of load increases the risk. 

Another reason we don’t see this increase in that group in particular could be the other training they do. Their exact training is unknown because different teams hide their training to avoid copycats cropping up, but it should include strengthening outside of running. If their coach, who has a background in sports science, is smart he can adjust their strengthening regimen to strengthen the regions necessary before it becomes an issue. If the area the load is redistributed to is already strong then an injury is far less likely to occur. This wouldn’t show up in most studies because the average person doesn’t have a coach that does that. Even most coached athletes don’t have a coach that is able to do that. That kind of training needs to be backed by a coach that knows the athlete well. Super shoes are a mass market product that are marketed to everyone. The problem is still there even if careful training outside of running can mitigate the additional risks.

The third reason that the group doesn’t see the increase in injuries predicted by studies is the difference in the individual. While the study done by the Department of Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Salzburg and the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center in Austria, showed an example of an athlete responding poorly it’s possible that this group is an example of a group that responds well to the shoes. 

The MIT article mentions individualism when it comes to performance but it holds true for health too. They look to a study done by Wouter Hoogkamer that revealed a 4% range in performance improvement. Hoogkamer also commented on why he believes athletes respond so differently to super shoes. He thought there were around 20 variables affecting the response to the shoes including weight, calf strength, and the strike pattern of the runner. The strike pattern of an athlete is usually categorized into forefoot, midfoot, and rearfoot with the location being the first point of contact between the foot and the ground. While it can be broadly categorized into those three categories there are countless other subcategories including the natural level of eversion and inversion on impact. 

Abdi Nageeye, a Dutch marathon runner that finished second in the Tokyo Olympic marathon and won the 2024 New York City marathon earlier this month, is a heel striker. He struggled significantly with the first two versions of the Nike Alphafly because they forced his stride into a different pattern that felt unnatural. He described the change as a “skip” in his stride. In contrast to his struggles with the first two versions, the third version of the Alphafly worked well for him. He won his first ever major marathon in the shoes. As a Nike athlete the Alphafly was what he had to race in even when his stride was being changed unnaturally. Changes in form increase injury risk and could have caused injuries. 

Small case studies like these have huge variation. Just like the variation in the shoes performance the variation in the effect on the runner is large. Studies with large sample sizes help to even this out. There are more and more studies coming out with results that point towards increased injury risk. Alone there isn’t a study that proves the argument one way or the other. There are case studies going both ways. Put together the scientific studies only point one way. They point towards increases in injury over time and the potential for long term problems. 

References

Barr, K. P., & Harrast, M. A. (2005). Evidence-Based Treatment of Foot and Ankle Injuries in Runners. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America, 16(3), 779–799. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmr.2005.02.001 

Dudley, R. I., Pamukoff, D. N., Lynn, S. K., Kersey, R. D., & Noffal, G. J. (2017). A prospective comparison of lower extremity kinematics and kinetics between injured and non-injured collegiate cross country runners. Human Movement Science, 52, 197–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2017.02.007 

Fields, K. B., Sykes, J. C., Walker, K. M., & Jackson, J. C. (2010). Prevention of Running Injuries. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 9(3), 176–182. https://doi.org/10.1249/jsr.0b013e3181de7ec5 

Gijon-Nogueron, G., & Fernandez-Villarejo, M. (2015). Risk Factors and Protective Factors for Lower-Extremity Running Injuries. Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 105(6), 532–540. https://doi.org/10.7547/14-069.1 

Hata, K., Noro, H., Takeshita, T., Yamazaki, Y., & Yanagiya, T. (2022). Leg stiffness during running in highly cushioned shoes with a carbon-fiber plate and traditional shoes. Gait & Posture. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2022.03.021

‌Hobson, B. (2023, May 31). Meet the coach, Claudio Berardelli. Runner’s World. https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/a43781904/claudio-berardelli/ 

Kiesewetter, P., Bräuer, S., Haase, R., Nitzsche, N., Mitschke, C., & Milani, T. L. (2022). Do Carbon-Plated Running Shoes with Different Characteristics Influence Physiological and Biomechanical Variables during a 10 km Treadmill Run? Applied Sciences, 12(15), 7949. https://doi.org/10.3390/app12157949

Matties, J. (2024, May 1). BIOMECHANICAL AND ENERGETIC TRENDS IN RESPONSE TO 8 WEEKS OF TRAINING IN ADVANCED FOOTWEAR TECHNOLOGY [Review of BIOMECHANICAL AND ENERGETIC TRENDS IN RESPONSE TO 8 WEEKS OF TRAINING IN ADVANCED FOOTWEAR TECHNOLOGY]. https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/downloads/2b88qm33k 

Messier, S. P., & Pittala, K. A. (1988). Etiologic factors associated with selected running injuries. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 20(5), 501–505. https://europepmc.org/article/med/3193867 

Moore, S., Martinez, A., Schwameder, H., & Stoggl, T. (2023, July 12). THE MEDIOLATERAL CENTER OF PRESSURE MOVEMENT DIFFERS BETWEEN TRAINING AND RACING SHOES: A CASE STUDY [Review of THE MEDIOLATERAL CENTER OF PRESSURE MOVEMENT DIFFERS BETWEEN TRAINING AND RACING SHOES: A CASE STUDY]. Department of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Salzburg, Austria Red Bull Athlete Performance Center, Thalgau, Austria. https://commons.nmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2665&context=isbs 

Olivier, J(2024). Impact of Carbon-Plated Running Shoes on Rearfoot Motion. Proquest.com.https://www.proquest.com/openview/780cb1c3a10d506c522fa4285d63f35a/1?cbl=18750&diss=y&loginDisplay=true&pq-origsite=gscholar 

Ryu, S., Kang, J., Kong, S., Choi, Y., Yoon, S., Ryu, J., & Park, S.-K. (2023). Effect of running shoes with a carbon plate on running biomechanics. Footwear Science, 15(sup1). https://doi.org/10.1080/19424280.2023.2199280

Sinclair, J., Brooks, D., Taylor, P. J., & Liles, N. B. (2021). Effects of running in minimal, maximal and traditional running shoes: a musculoskeletal simulation exploration using statistical parametric mapping and Bayesian analyses. Footwear Science, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/19424280.2021.1892834 

Subramanium, A. (2024). Effects of advanced footwear technology on running mechanics and performance (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. https://hdl.handle.net/1880/119375 

Supershoes are reshaping distance running. (n.d.). MIT Technology Review. https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/06/25/1093520/supershoes-running-kenya-carbon-plate-shoes/ 

Willwacher, S., Sanno, M., & Brüggemann, G.-P. (2020). Fatigue matters: An intense 10 km run alters frontal and transverse plane joint kinematics in competitive and recreational adult runners. Gait & Posture, 76, 277–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2019.11.016 

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

Aquino, S. D., & Lins, S. (2023, July 18). The personality puzzle: A comprehensive    analysis of its impact on three buying behaviors. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1179257/full&nbsp

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