Compulsive Consumption Tendencies Among Television Shoppers

Abstract

Compulsive buying and binge eating are consumption behaviors that are similarly related to low self‐esteem and poor impulse control, occurring more frequently in women. Using a national random sample, the authors examined the extent to which compulsive buying and binge eating were related in a nonclinical population of known television shoppers. Mailed questionnaires were completed by 334 women. Multiple regression analyses revealed that (a) binge‐eating and compulsive‐buying scores were positively related, and (b) both compulsive‐buying and bingeeating scores were positively related to television shopping channel exposure. About 10% of the television shoppers in this study were found to have compulsive‐buying tendencies. Strategies for coping with unwise compulsive consumption are offered.