Bundelkhand University

An Assessment of the Psychological Characteristics of the Compulsive and Non-Compulsive Buyers

This research aims to improve the understanding of various determinants that may make individuals more vulnerable to compulsive buying. Consumer compulsive buying is an important area of inquiry in consumer behaviour research because it represents a negative aspect of consumption behaviour and may have psychological, social and financial consequences. The present research focuses on the comparison of the psychological characteristics of compulsive and non-compulsive buyers and examines the factors associated with these behaviours. The study particularly focuses on young adults and the changing consumer environment in India, where globalization, consumerism and the increasing use of online shopping have influenced purchasing behaviour. The research examines psychological characteristics including self-esteem and personality traits and attempts to understand their relationship with compulsive and non-compulsive buying behaviour. The findings indicate that psychological characteristics play an important role in understanding differences between compulsive and non-compulsive buyers. The study also highlights the relevance of personality characteristics and self-esteem in explaining buying behaviour. The research contributes to the understanding of compulsive buying as a growing consumer behaviour phenomenon and may be useful for researchers, marketers and society in identifying factors associated with problematic purchasing behaviour.