History of the psychology of additions to purchases
Introduction
Behavioral addictions are part of a series of problems called psychosocial. These problematic have raised great interest among the Ciéntifica community in recent decades being the addiction to purchases one of them.
Purchasing addiction is defined as the inability to control impulses that manifests itself in the desire to buy in a continuous and uncontrolled way.
To be able to distinguish the addict from what not, we must bear in mind that an action becomes addiction when it becomes harmful, an irrational use persists despite the inconveniences suffered if it cannot be had (abstinence), it is lost The ability to control behavior becomes a constant desire and almost an obsession and interest in other activities is lost.
These acquisitions are usually of superfluous objects, or even useless, that often do not keep a congruence relationship with the usual taste of the buyer or its economic possibilities, to the point of being able to take the consumer to ruin.
The growth of capitalism as an economic and social model, propaganda, the media and technological progress settle the basis of the origin of this addiction.From the twentieth century, purchase addiction has had special attention, so it could be summarized by saying that modern society is the main cause of its appearance.
Evolution of the Procurement of Purchases
Javier Garcés Prieto indicates that ‘From the first contributions made in the 80s from psychology, purchase addiction was considered as a“ rare ”disorder and only cases that were understood as serious were discussed. The profile pointed to women between 20 and 50 years, who lived in medium or large cities and suffering from depressive problems, compulsive obsessive disorders or background of other addictions ’.
At present the profile has evolved and experiencing changes so the age range has been extended, also affecting men. However, this addiction is not so present in rural areas or in the elderly.
Relationship with psychology (behavioral disorders or personality traits)
ATTEMPORT OF THE EXISTING INFORMATION ON THE SUBST. On the one hand, the presence of materialistic values constitutes a fundamental axis. On the other hand, the presence of dysfunctional personality features together with socialization problems. To all this, as we have indicated before we add the role of capitalist culture characteristic of our consumer society. Next from a psychological perspective we will focus on those causes closely related to personality and purchase addiction.
Several authors, of various disciplines have studied this phenomenon and fit that this "new" addiction is related to other disorders such as depression and anxiety, with the lack of self – esteem, and with certain personality traits such as impulsivity, the Materialism and hedonism.
- Relationship with depressive problems
This relationship is because many consumers use purchase as a mechanism to compensate, or face their depressive states.(Garcès, 1999). Other authors coplete this perspective by determining that depression is one of the causes triggering the consumption addiction problems.Edwards (1992) in an investigation that aimed to study the influence of a series of personal variables in two groups, one of purchase addicts and another of non -addicted consumers, concluded that depression acts as a trigger for the consumption addiction problems. Faber and Chriteson (1996). As Rafael Rodríguez (2001) ’points out in congruence with these data, other researchers have indicated the high incidence of depressive disorders among consumption addicts. Thus, mc.This and (1994) places the percentage of addicts with depressive problems, Lejoyeux (1998) in 61%, and Black, Montaban and Gabel (1997) in 60% ‘.(p.97).
According to the "European study on psychological and social problems related to the lack of self-control in purchase and spending, consumption addiction and over -indebtedness" purchase addicts usually have feelings of leading an unsatisfactory life, an accumulation of an accumulation of problems that are not known to face and manifest lack of vital incentives or illusions. In these cases, through consumption an escape route is sought, satisfaction, even if it is momentary, that compensates and helps to support the depressive feeling.
- Relationship with anxiety
From the study developed by Cole (1995) in which through a sample of 420 people it was concluded that anxiety has an essential role as an antecedent or trigger for purchase addiction. These data are supported by a subsequent study conducted by Valence (1998) in which it was revealed that anxiety increase increases the possibility of developing consumption addiction. Other authors provide more data on the relationship addition to purchases -anniety although porcentages for the exposed reasons vary greatly.
- Other psychosocial problems
In the first investigations, it can be concluded that the problem of purchase addiction was more related to depressive disorders and anxiety, but current investigations have observed that depression is a factor that is not always present in this purchase addiction , especially if we talk about those who consume moderate or mild way.
In a study by Javier Garcés Prieto and his collaborators, between 1998 and 2000 in several European countries for the prevention and treatment of psychological problems related to purchase and spending, it was revealed that the most often related factor related to the purchase , it was personal dissatisfaction and lack of vital incentives or stimuli other than consumption. In addition, there is a relationship with the feeling of boredom or with a depressive state. Other factors present are low self – esteem, impulsivity and anxiety.These data have been corroborated by the research that has been carried out together with the psychologist Alejandro Salcedo.
In conclusion, this behavioral addiction is related to a conjunction of anxiety, depressive feelings, low self – esteem, personal dissatisfaction and the lack of non -consumerist incentives.
Behavioral manifestations of purchase addiction:
- Addiction to purchase as leisure activity:
We speak in this case of people who present an uncontrolled trend to use purchases such as leisure activity. These people are attracted to the stimuli they see in the shop windows and propaganda. Purchases as leisure activity is something that has been built in our company in an accepted and normalized way, so many shopping centers have become places where we can find countless people walking, spending their free time, even as an activity family.
- Compulsive buying:
Consumption addiction and compulsive purchase are interrelated and the same behavior is manifested: the lack of self-control to regulate and manage purchases and contain impulses.
By consumer addiction, it is understood that it is that desire to continually buy new things, often unnecessary or meaningless.
With the concept of compulsive purchase we refer to a psychological process that prevents the person from being able to control the desire and impulse to buy, and in turn reflect before buying excessively. What entails these apparently satisfactory purchases is to get to dissatisfaction. At first you can feel a feeling of pleasure or relief, but then this feeling disappears and becomes a deep feeling of guilt.
- Lack of economic self-control:
A person addicted to purchases will present great difficulties in adjusting spending habits to the economic possibilities he has.A manifestation of this lack of control is usually excessive use of credit. Given the fact of linking a loan with another, the person enters a dynamic of "living on credit" which is assimilating as natural.
Three altered levels of consciousness that emerge from compulsive purchases can be differentiated following Kraepelin’s contributions, and Bleuler:
- People whose central axis in their lives is shopping.
- People who need to acquire new things constantly.
- People hooked on credit.
The presence of impulsive characteristics of compulsive purchases is evidenced again, which corroborate that impulsivity and lack of control and will that we have previously spoken.
As psychological consequences of this addiction we find:
- The anguish.
- The Depression.
- The regrets.
- The shame
- Low self – esteem
All previous symptoms cause a high level of stress, which can lead to the affected diseases such as ulcer, hypertension, deep depressions and frequent headaches.
Diverse motivations:
The purchase of unnecessary things is due to a diverse motivation, sometimes it is related to the self-affirmation of the individual with the reinforcement of the image, the personal whim or the loyalty to a collector’s behavior. On other occasions, the selection of articles depends on the approval of others and their gaze towards us, hence fashionable or to come into play with a kind of rivalry so as not to feel inferior with and for others.
The compulsive purchase is developed by two mechanisms: in some cases this inappropriate habit is acquired by force of repeating a behavior that is initially pleasant and then it is done compulsively, while in others this behavior must be understood as an evasion, as a way of alleviating personal problems.
Purpose:
The compulsive buyer responds to the desire to have a product, buys with the desire to relieve its tension and anxiety. It also tries to improve your self – esteem and meet emotional needs. The above is causing a psychological dependence, losing control of itself.
Conclusions
Addictive behaviors, whether with substance or behavioral, are currently a problem of great social and clinical relevance in developed societies. His research is relatively recent. They currently affect a large percentage of the population, and therefore is an object of study relevant to our society. Many of his researchers converge when talking about the relationship of this type of addiction with some personality disorders or psychological behaviors.
Purchasing addiction can present a variety of causes, and in turn can cause other types of psychological alterations, which could say that purchase addiction has a character of comorbidity., where a disorder can present in turn or trigger several.
Bibliography
- Garcés Prieto, Javier (1999). «Consumer addiction: information and self-help manual». Albacete: Consumer Union. Accessed November 22, 2019.
- General Council of PSICOLOGY OF SPAIN. Infocop, ed. «Conclusions of the European study on purchase addiction». Accessed November 25, 2019.
- Cía, a. H. (2014). Addictions not related to substances (DSM-5, APA, 2013): a first step towards the inclusion of behavioral addictions in current categorical classifications. Neuro-Psychiatry Magazine, 76 (4), 210.
- "Consumption addiction". Official College of Psychologists of Spain. December 22, 2005. Accessed November 15, 2019.
- Mínguez, f. M., Segal, h. D., & Quintero, J. (2015). Addiction treatment protocol without psychoactive substance. Medicine-Proven Medical Training Program, 11 (86), 5157-5160.
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