Holicent
VIP Contributor
We've all been there. You're out at the mall, or on the street, and you see a really cool product or service. You walk up to it and say "I'd like one of those," but your wallet doesn't have enough change in it to make the purchase. But you keep looking anyway because you're curious about what kind of experience this thing can give you.
This is called "impulse buying." It's not only a common occurrence—we all do it at some point (or had someone else do it to us)—but also an important part of our shopping behavior. We don't buy something if we don't feel like we need it; we buy something because we know how much value it will add to our lives, and that makes us want to get it right away. Impulse buying is just another way of saying that human beings are inherently motivated by rewards (positive moods).
But there's another way: Repetition compulsion, also known as habit formation or over-consumption (which sounds more fun). It starts when you start doing something over and over again, making small changes each time until eventually everything feels just right. The whole process can take months or years depending on how long it takes.
This is called "impulse buying." It's not only a common occurrence—we all do it at some point (or had someone else do it to us)—but also an important part of our shopping behavior. We don't buy something if we don't feel like we need it; we buy something because we know how much value it will add to our lives, and that makes us want to get it right away. Impulse buying is just another way of saying that human beings are inherently motivated by rewards (positive moods).
But there's another way: Repetition compulsion, also known as habit formation or over-consumption (which sounds more fun). It starts when you start doing something over and over again, making small changes each time until eventually everything feels just right. The whole process can take months or years depending on how long it takes.