The impact of the need for social approval on compulsive buying behavior

: exploring the mediating role of brand attachment

Abstract

Compulsive buying is defined as a persistent and habitual purchasing response to unpleasant feelings or circumstances, and it has detrimental effects on society, psychology, and the economy. Although compulsive shopping has been recognized as a problem historically, it has become far more common in the last ten years. With the prevalence of extrinsic motives rising and their potential negative effects on mental health, it is imperative that researchers better understand how emotional brand attachment and the extrinsic motive of the need for social approval, influence the compulsion to buy. Several statistical tests were conducted based on the data collected through the online survey of 178 participants. The findings provide a strong foundation for further research since they demonstrate that compulsive buying behavior is a direct result of the need for social approval. However, this research failed to prove that emotional brand attachment plays a significant role as a mediator between these two variables and that the need for social approval has an impact on emotional brand attachment. Moreover, the direct effect of emotional brand attachment on compulsive buying behavior was found to be non-significant. Limitations of this study, proposals for further research, and academic and managerial implications of the findings are discussed in detail.

Date of Award	25 Jan 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Paulo Romeiro (Supervisor)