Behavior of addition

The numbers of frequent buyers and shoppers have been exposed over the years through a variety of phrases, jokes, and speciality item sales. More than 18 million Americans, as has been found through studies, struggle with shopping and buying addiction. Since they no longer have any control over their purchasing habits, such consumers exhibit the same addictive tendencies as substance abusers. Only through making impulsive purchases do they experience satisfaction, or what drug users refer to as a "high." There have been a variety of recent studies on the psychological, financial, and detrimental social effects of the estimated 18 million American buyers (Alter, 2016).
Considering the social responsibility in a marketing situation, where the marketers either consciously or unconsciously entice the addictive buyers who are not financially able to buy more, then there is a high likelihood of negative outcomes occurring. Through the marketers’ enticements, the buyers stretch themselves beyond their financial and psychological reach (Browne 2011, p. 234). Financial institutions that offer customer and retailer credit, consumers, retailer’s institutions and economy of the nation become subject to the escalating costs as a result of the addictive buyer’s non-collectible and mounting debt.

The relevant market research initially focuses on addiction and how this pattern of consumption is promoted among all the consumers. From the various research reviews, then the basis for developing the theoretical framework for this research is established. According to the theoretical perspective, an integrated framework is offered in this study through the combination of the diverse data themes and constructs developed from the previous researches as depicted in the fields of marketing, sociology, psychology, and psychiatry, toward an enhanced general comprehension of the addictive behavior of compulsive buying (Gill & Johnson 2010, p.15).

Research gap and justification

As a result of the pivotal role that inherent cognitions play in the process of reasoning, the justification mechanisms from the previous researches that an individual susceptible to addiction endorses are qualitatively distinct from those that the non-addiction-prone individuals use. These rationalizations affect the manner in which the individuals prone to addiction perceive, examine, and interpret whatever situations arise, and also their subsequent consequences. In particular, the justification mechanisms like information seeking strategy, causal inferences, and reasoning processes.

Problem statement

Addictive behaviors are a great menace especially to those youths who have no skills of self-control. This is due to the peer influence which highly affects the reasoning as well as the urge of having a substance for just mere satisfaction even without any significant intention of having them.

Research question

The research questions of this study include;

How often do the people do shopping in a week or month?

For what purpose do they make the shopping?

What is the impact of the addictive buying to the individuals, market, and the entire economy?

Research objectives

The objectives of this research are: to examine the frequency with which people buy various commodities; to examine the intentions that prompt the buying of various components; to study the impact of the addictive buying on the market, individuals and the entire economy.

Literature Review

Theories and frameworks

Browne Miller (2011, p. 235) describes an obsessive-addictive behavior as “an anxiety disorder in which compulsions or obsessions are a significant source of distress that interferes with the individual’s ability to function”. Addictive buying behaviors are, therefore, a seemingly purposeful and repetitive behaviors arising from the stereotyped fashions. Addictions are often ritualistic and excessive behaviors that are intended to alleviate anxiety, tension, or discomfort emanating from the blatant obsession or thought.

Browne Miller (2011, p. 236) began his studies toward providing the theoretical foundations of the addictive buying constructs which conceptually relates it to the broader categories of addictive behaviors like drug abuse, alcoholism, compulsive gambling, and eating disorders. From the various studies, addictive buyers and other addicts as mentioned above have been found to depict similar personalities. Building on this study, Alter (2016) provided a general addiction consumptive theoretical model suggesting that people showing the people who depict these addictive behaviors share some common causes and their patterns of development tend to be similar. Apart from linkages to personality, theories of social learning theory, socio-cultural influences, affluenza and theories of the disease have some theoretical underpinnings to elucidate the addictive behavior phenomena (Creswell 2013, p.105).

Theories of social learning

From the social learning theory, it is evident that novice substance users learn it from their peers who are more experienced. Additionally, the aspect of recovering from the addiction is a hard task and it’s attributed to the addict’s behaviors of social discomfort and their inability to withdraw from their peers and associate with non-addicts. With regard to addictive buyers, the likelihood of discontinuing or decreasing excessive buying would still remain low since they remain depressed and isolated from the non-addict consumers and surrounded by their counterpart addictive buyers (Creswell 2013, p.107).

Socio-cultural influences theory

Socially based theories that also explain the addictive behavior in relation to alcoholism and drug addiction emanates from the psychological field. This theory suggests that there are some ethnic groups like Chinese-Americans, Italian American, and Jews where the alcohol consumption rate is low. These groups are assumed to be so due to their specified appropriate nutritional, ceremonial, or festive uses of such substances, but negatively sanctioning drunkenness and overindulgence. Conversely, other ethnic groups like the English- and Irish-Americans, known to have positively sanctioned the consumption of alcohol and some other selected few substances, their alcoholism rate is relatively high(Alter, 2016).

Regarding addictive buying and negative sanctions, Alter (2016) contends that the non-addictive buyers who do their shopping with relatives or friends are likely to impose negative sanctions. For such non-addictive buyers, the addiction buying is taken as a “private pleasure”. Alter (2016) further holds that shopping is taken as a major pastime in the United States as well as other developed nations, specifically for women. He further suggests that due to the U.S culture, frequent shopping is not a common thing and therefore addictive buying is not a characteristic of those people who live there.

Affluenza

Empirical studies show that cultural mechanisms support addictive buying where mainly developed countries that constitute market-based economy, disposable income, significant leisure time, and availability of several goods. Therefore more addictive buying behavior is expected to occur in U.S as compared to other less developed countries. Therefore this social disorder experienced in U.S is referred to as affluenza (Watson 2013, p.199).

Disease theory

Several medical researchers have shown that the brain activity, serotonin level, and addictive behaviors have a close relationship. Serotonin is basically a neurotransmitter consisting of amino acids, and which enhances relay impulses in the brain within its neurons. When the level of serotonin is low, then there is a likelihood of several disorders occurring in the brain of a human being and worst of all the treatment have been found to alleviate the severity such disorders in most victims (Watson 2013, p. 200).

Most behaviors that alleviate the neurotransmission are linked with arousal. Browne (2011, p. 238) suggests that disorders of impulsive control like the addictive buying may be perceived as reward-based and dysfunctional neuro-circuits behaviors. This implies that the act and process of buying are seen as pleasurable by most victims. Addictive shoppers normally term their experiences in shopping as a “rush” or a “high” and they further show that the shopping experiences, as well as its consequences, are portrayed as arousal heightened states that give them their desirable pleasures.

Research on addictive behavior

Addictive behavior has been recognized a mental disorder associated with desires of compulsive consumption, oniomania, compulsive buying, and buying mania. However, in the marketing research, there is much research on it needed. In psychology, it has been described as an irresistible craving to buy in order to achieve some form of gratification or tension relief after the purchase (Trochim, et al. 2016, p.315).

Regarding the market literature, the three common characteristics of addictive behaviors are the addicts deny the harmful consequences associated with the engagement of the behavior; the presence of an urge, drive, or impulse to engage in the behavior; and lack of self-control in the modification of the behavior. Therefore, in the marketing sector, the addictive buying is that “repetitive buying that has the primary response to negative events or feelings that are very difficult to stop and ultimately results in harmful consequences” (Trochim, et al. 2016, p.315).

Personality trait

Personality traits give an area for the theorization of addiction. From various empirical studies, people hooked up in the addiction of drug or any other compulsive behavior results from low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. Some of those who become addicts are found to have been independent, non-conformist, and under controlled than their peers before indulging in these addictive behaviors.

Generally, the addictive buyers tend to have a high compulsive behavior and impulsive behaviors that compel them to act promptly and where they are not able to act promptly, they get frustrated. Such people have a problem in maintaining their emotional relationship among others and as result, they tend to have some withdrawal effects or isolate themselves (Gill & Johnson 2010, p.15).

Methodology

Research design

Quantitative research

In this study, addiction behavior of the target group that mainly constitute of youth aged between 15 and 25 shall be examined. The quantitative data shall be obtained through a valid and reliable scale that shall be employed in the study (Watson 2013, p.209). .

Primary data

The primary data for this research mainly entails survey done on the people portraying these compulsive addictive behaviors. Through observing the behaviors of the participant and getting to see the frequency with which they do the shopping is very essential.

Cross-sectional study

A cross-sectional study on shall be employed on the different neighboring ethnic groups to compare on the prevalence on different addictive behaviors among them as well as on the target group outside the bracket of our target (15-25 years). Irish-Americans and Asian-Americans shall be involved in the study. The main aim of this cross-sectional study is to distinguish between various addictive behaviors and their responses across various groups. The frequency at which the various groups do the impulsive in a week or a month shall be considered (Bryman & Bell 2014, p. 70).

Sampling design

Target population

The target population is the youths aged between 15-25 who are inhabitants of the U.S and also a few of the working class adults. The youths are the most widely known population that exhibits some of the compulsive behaviors and thus they will serve as a good target population for this population. The statistics of age, gender, daily expenditures, and the frequency with which they do compulsive buying shall be tabulated.

Sampling technique

The random sampling will be the best in providing the representative sample of the target population. This technique is applicable to avoid biases during the study.

Sample size

A sample of around 20 people in each ethnic group of Asian-Americans, English-American, and Latin-Americans shall be sampled. This will help to establish how that cognitive behavior is exhibited among these ethnic groups. Among the 20 people of each group, half of them will be males and the other females. This is to facilitate the demographic features so that they may be pronounced clearly under different phenomenon (Bryman & Bell 2014, p. 76).

Questionnaire design

The questionnaire employed in this research study is a structured one. The participant’s declaration, as well as the demographic profile, are contained in the first part of the questionnaire. The following part consists of four sections consisting of close-ended questions pertaining the addictive behaviors and their impact on the individual, market, and economy. The first section of the questionnaire, which is section-A, consists of questions concerning the frequency of doing shopping. The frequency is provided in options such as once, twice, thrice, etc. a week or even a month. In the section-B, questions regarding the level to which one is compelled to do the additive shopping are provided there. Some closely answer to the question like strongly agree and strongly disagree will be used in this section and each answer gave a certain scale like 5, 4, or 3. The last sections C and D will contain questions concerning the impact of the behavior of the individuals and economy (Saunders, et al. 2015, p.53).

Data collection method

Various surveys will be conducted on the inhabitants of U.S. Apart from the question, the data will be collected through conduction of an interview. Both unstructured and semi-structured interviews will be conducted on the chosen group concerning their addictive buying and the impact on them as individuals. The questions in this interview are prone to change and therefore makes it very helpful when carrying out the study’s qualitative analysis.

Data analysis method

Inferential and descriptive statistics are to be employed in the analysis of the data gathered. The percentage, mean, and standard deviation are to be utilized as descriptive statistics. Pearson Product correlation is to be employed in the testing of the first hypothesis and for the hypothesis two, the multiple regression analysis suits best.

Preliminary analysis

Non-response bias analysis

From non-response bias, the participants of the study are expected to give answers that differ systematically right from the probable answers of people who disagreed and those who did not participate. This can be one of the limitations that could be experienced in the measure of addictive behaviors. Highly addicted people are thought to be stubborn to contact and sometimes are reluctant to respond to the surveys conducted. Better comprehension of this analysis may allow all the non-response weight in the conducted surveys to be enhanced. The adjustment can be made on the non-responsive rather than population weight depending on the geographical and demographic data that do not essentially eliminate the bias that results from non-response.

Common method variance analysis

The common method variance analysis might be a great concern where data is collected using self-report questionnaires simultaneously from the same participants. Common method variance (CMV) may result when a common rater is used; from the presentation of participants responses; the context under which the question fall as well as the contextual influences like location, time and media applied in the measurement of the constructs. To enhance this analysis and eliminate the CMV, the analysis will be a combination of several sources of information specifically for various measures; a certain scale will be used on the question and the questions themselves will be mixed up; and also the use of statistical methods sensitive to such problems is recommended.

Multicollinearity analysis

After the data normality has been checked in the regression model and met, then it is essential to check on the independent variables where they are similar and in doing so multicollinearity test is conducted. This comes in especially in the case where the independent variables overlap one another due to their extremism nature.

Descriptive analysis

Analysis of demographic variables

Previous cross-sectional studies have recognized the demographic variables as the most reliable variables in addiction behavior research. The demographic variables to be gathered in relation to this research are research are ethnicity, gender, age, and nationality. Because it is through these variables that the aspect of additive behaviors emanates from.

Mean, standard deviation and correlation of the constructs

The mean, correlation coefficient, and standard deviation of the constructs are to be tabulated. The analysis is done to check on whether there is a positive or negative correlation among the constructs. The correlation coefficient in this case of addiction behavior research could be time, substitute satisfaction, and effect on the individual, market, and economy.

Scale measurement

Reliability analysis (Cronbach Alpha)

The descriptive statistics are best for analyzing the characteristics of the collected sample. Varimax component is the principal component that evaluates a factor structure. Cronbach’s alpha estimated the level of internal consistency as depicted by the constructs constituting the addictive behavior scale. In the assessment of the convergent validity of the addictive buying behavior scale for the youths, there is need to conduct correlations between addictive buying behavior scale for the youths and other constructs. The scale analysis for this case is analyzed using the ROC curve (Allen , et al., 2014, p.35).

Validity analysis (Exploratory Factor Analysis)

The validity of construct is usually supported by the explorative factor analysis. After carrying out the study, the correlational factors should be compared to some given factor which is usually p<0.001 to establish their relationship hence its validity.

Inferential analysis

Bivariate regression analysis

Bivariate linear regression analysis shall be done to determine the correlation frequency rate of compulsive buying and the behavioral problems. Some behavioral problems associated with that compulsive are social problems, depression/withdrawn, and rule-breaking problems shall be addressed. These problems are analyzed using the significant level of p<0.050 (Allen , et al., 2014, p.38).

Multiple regression analysis

Multiple logistics regressions shall be applied to indicate the frequency of exhibition of the addictive behavior between the various groups of different age and ethnic groups. The regression analysis shall be employed in analyzing the externalizing and internalizing problems and issues associated with several addictive behaviors and their impacts.

Mediated regression analysis

Both specific mediation and moderation hypothesis are very crucial. These hypotheses testing establishes the relationship that exists between the impulsivity and the compulsive buying addition as mediated by life meaning and as moderated by the self-esteem. The testing of mediation in this study shall incorporate the regression coefficients on the direct effect of the addiction in one’s meaning, to the market and the economy. The total mediation effect is thereafter determined (Allen , et al., 2014, p.35).

Moderated regression analysis/ hierarchical regression analysis

The moderation effect employs the hierarchical regression technique. Initially, the addiction may be regressed on self-esteem and impulsivity. In this case of the first regression, the coefficient is significant. So in the moderated regression, the meaning of life is thereafter regressed on self-esteem and impulsivity also. The addictive behavior is thereafter regressed based on all the predictor variables.

Research ethics

First and foremost, the potential participant shall be explained the significance of the study before they are interviewed or given the questionnaires to fill. The technical language or jargons shall be avoided in order for the participants to clearly understand the aim of the study and contents in the questionnaires. The participants will also be allowed to willingly participate in the study without any coercion or luring with promises. The target group mainly comprises of the youths who are prone to addictive behaviors and therefore they are ethically competent for this study. Any information from the participating shall be treated as purely confidential and private and therefore no one should disclose it to any third party (Trochim, et al. 2016, p.317).



Conclusion

The research study is anticipated to yield an integrated framework through a combination of diverse themes of construct/data from empirical researches in the field of sociology, psychology, marketing, and psychiatry. The integrated framework will help in improving the general comprehension of the addictive, compulsive-buying, as well as focusing on the future research. Especially, in the social responsibility era, the marketers need to focus mostly on the individual and differential needs that the compulsive-buying desire. Increased research is the only way to comprehend better and effectively the market that the 18 million additive shoppers and the increasing population.

















References

Allen , P., Bennett, K. & Heritage, B., 2014. SPSS Statistics Version 22:A. 3rd ed. Melbourne, Australia: Cengage Learning, pp.32-44.

Alter, A. L., 2016. Irresistible: The rise of Addictive Technology and The business of Keeping us Hooked. [Online] Available at: http://search.ebscohost.com[Accessed 13 November 2017].

Browne, M. A., 2011. The Paeger International Collection on Addictions. Addictive Behavior, 2(6), pp. 234-245.

Bryman, A. & Bell, E., 2014. Business Research Methods. 4 ed. New York: Oxford Press, pp.65-77.

Creswell, J., 2013. Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design. 3 ed. Sage: Sage Publications, pp 105-117.

Gill, J. & Johnson, P., 2010. Research Methods for Managers. 4th ed. Sage: Sage Publications, pp.12-19.

Saunders, M., Thornhill, A. & Lewis, P., 2015. Rsearch Methods for Business Students. 7th ed. London: Prentice Hall, pp. 51-55.

Trochim, W. M., Donnelly, J. P. & Arora, K., 2016. Research Methods: The Essential Knowledge Base. 3rd ed. Melbourne, Australia: Cengage Learning, pp. 312-320.

Watson, R. R., 2013. Addictive Behaviors in Women. 4th ed. Totowa: Humana Press, pp. 198-210.