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Life Aspirations, Generativity and Compulsive Buying in University Students
José Manuel Otero-López1, María José Santiago1, María Cristina Castro1
1Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Faculty of Psychology, C/Xosé María Suárez Núñez, s/n, Campus Vida, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Summary
Compulsive buying in university students is linked to extrinsic life goals like image and hedonism. Intrinsic goals and generativity act as protective factors against this behavior.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Behavioral Science
- Consumer Studies
Background:
- Goal-oriented behavior significantly impacts physical and mental health.
- Self-determination theory highlights the role of life aspirations in well-being.
- Compulsive buying research has overlooked the influence of life aspirations and generativity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between life aspirations, generativity, and compulsive buying in university students.
- To identify risk and protective factors associated with compulsive buying behavior.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 1093 Spanish university students.
- Classification of participants into non-compulsive buyers and compulsive buyers.
- Statistical analysis including Student's t-test and logistic regression.
Main Results:
- Estimated prevalence of compulsive buying was 7.9%.
- Compulsive buyers exhibited higher scores in extrinsic goals (financial success, image, popularity, conformity) and hedonism.
- Non-compulsive buyers showed higher scores in intrinsic goals (self-acceptance, affiliation, community feeling) and generativity.
Conclusions:
- Female gender, and extrinsic life aspirations (image, popularity, hedonism) are risk factors for compulsive buying.
- Generativity and intrinsic goals (self-acceptance, affiliation) are protective factors against compulsive buying.
- Findings suggest potential intervention strategies for addressing compulsive buying in students.
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