A recent study of young adults found that individuals with a high propensity for compulsive shopping exhibit greater difficulties in executive functioning. Further analysis indicated that these individuals struggle with inhibitory control, which fully explains the observed link. The research was published in Applied Neuropsychology: Adult.
For humans living in modern society, shopping is a necessity. It is the primary—and, for most, the only—way to acquire essential goods. Beyond necessity, many people find shopping pleasurable and may even experience joy when buying items that are not strictly needed. However, shopping can become compulsive, leading to personal challenges and financial difficulties.
Compulsive shopping, also known as shopping addiction, is a behavioral disorder characterized by an uncontrollable urge to shop and spend money excessively, often on unnecessary items. This behavior appears to be driven by negative emotions such as stress, anxiety, or boredom. While shopping may provide temporary relief from these emotions, it is often followed by feelings of guilt, regret, or financial distress.
Unlike occasional shopping sprees, compulsive shopping is repetitive, impulsive, and not motivated by practical considerations. Over time, it can lead to significant financial problems, strained relationships, and emotional turmoil. Compulsive shopping is often associated with other mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety disorders, or substance abuse. Its underlying causes may include low self-esteem, difficulty regulating emotions, or societal pressures promoting consumerism.
Study author Tom Heffernan and his colleagues sought to explore the relationship between compulsive shopping and executive functioning. Executive functioning refers to a set of cognitive processes regulated by the brain’s prefrontal cortex that enable goal-directed behavior, including planning, decision-making, problem-solving, and self-control. These processes help regulate attention, manage emotions, and adapt to changing situations.
The researchers conducted an online survey using the Qualtrics platform. The study included 205 participants aged 18 to 48, with an average age of 26. Among them, 42 were highly prone to compulsive shopping, 39 of whom were women. Of the remaining 163 participants, 135 were women.
Participants completed assessments of compulsive shopping (using the Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale), working memory and cognitive inhibition (using the Adult Executive Functioning Inventory), general executive functioning (using the Dysexecutive Questionnaire Revised), and anxiety and depression (using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale).
The results showed that participants prone to compulsive shopping performed worse on all measures of executive functioning. Further analysis showed that the link between compulsive shopping and executive functioning was fully mediated by poorer inhibitory control. This means that individuals with a high tendency toward compulsive shopping struggle to control their impulses. Their ability to suppress impulsive behaviors, thoughts, or automatic responses to act in a goal-oriented and appropriate manner was impaired.
“The findings from the current study suggest that compulsive shopping is characterized by impairment in self-reported executive function. A subsequent mediation analysis suggested inhibitory control was a key element of the generic and working memory executive impairments found in Compulsive Shopping. This may explain why compulsive shoppers continue with their dysfunctional shopping behavior despite its negative consequences (legal and financial problems, distress) due to their inability to cognitively regulate their emotional response to shopping/buying and control their urges to purchase unnecessary items,” the study authors concluded.
The study sheds light on the links between executive functioning and compulsive shopping. However, it should be noted that the study’s design does not allow for causal inferences to be drawn from the results.
The paper “Compulsive shopping behaviour and executive dysfunction in young adults” was authored by Tom Heffernan, Colin Hamilton, and Nick Neave.