Factors affecting compulsive buying behavior: the Case of University students of Pakistan Sohaira Zahra MS Scholar COMSATS Institute

of Information Technology, Abbottabad Anees Wajid MS Scholar COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Abbottabad Zarak Khan MS Scholar COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Abbottabad

Introduction The first identification of the Phenomena of Compulsive buying was given by (O'Guinn & Faber, 1989a) who described it as chronic repetitive purchasing that becomes a primary response to negative events or feelings, although providing a perceived instantaneous gratification such a behavior comes with long term harmful consequences in economic as well as psychological and societal forms. (O'Guinn & Faber, 1989a). (Damon 1988; Faber 1992; Krueger 1988; Faber and O'Guinn 1992; Scherhorn 1990; Valence et al., 1988) in another study summed it as being a behavioral disorder which causes an individual to make continuous purchases regardless of financial, social or psychological consequences. Compulsive buying behavior is all consuming for the individual until the awareness and experience of post purchase guilt. (Christenson et al., 1994). The discipline of psychology has rendered steady work into exploring the factors that are associated with the phenomena of compulsive buying and differentiating it from the normal experience of buying. Kellet & Bolton (2009) have demonstrated in their model that the internal triggers or factors for compulsive buying are anxiety, depression, anxiousness and low self esteem. Black et al. (1998) found that compulsive buyers were more likely to have lifetime mood disorders and particularly, major depression. McElroy et al. (1994) used a similar methodology to interview 20 CB participants and found that

all participants reported experience of two or more lifetime axis I disorders, including that of anxiety. The concept of compulsive buying behavior has become the focus of attention only recently in developed countries and in a developing country such as Pakistan it is thought of as nothing more than a joke. Compulsive buyers are dismissed as being financially irresponsible, extravagant and careless and no thought is given to the mental, social and emotional deterioration of the individual. Compulsive buying behavior was previously associated with being a female disorder (dAstrous, 1990; Eccles, 2002; Faber, Christenson, de Zwann, & Mitchell, 1995; Koran, Bullock, Hartson, Elliott, & DAndrea, 2002; McElroy et al., 1994) but recent studies have usefully challenged it by providing evidence that CB prevails in both genders. (Koran, Faber, Aboujaoude, Large, & Serpe, 2006) it is important to mention here that although many studies use compulsive buying and compulsive acquisition interchangeably, the presented study solely focuses on the factors of CB, disregarding acquisition of free and discarded items. Although, very few studies have been conducted in regard to measuring population estimate of Compulsive Buyers Dittmar (2004a) found out through epidemiological study that 1.8 to 8.1% population in the USA has CB tendencies. Literature also supports the argument that younger population (18 to 30 years) shows more tendencies towards CB. (Hassay & Smith, 1996) Whereas, Data from Germany suggests that the prevalence of CB has increased generally over the last 10 years. (Reisch, Neuner, & Raab, 2004). Such data would suggest that socio-cultural factors have some role to play in CB (Dittmar, 2004a), in that the greater the maturity of a consumer society in the country, the greater the likelihood of increased rates of CB. The impact of consumer culture in the host country on individuals is also indexed by the Diagnostic Screener for CB (Faber & OGuinn, 1989), factoring to produce a uni-dimensional scale in US samples (Roberts & Jones, 2001), whereas it factors to produce a bi-dimensional scale in South Korean (Kwak, Zinkhan, & Crask, 2003) and Mexican (Roberts & Sepulveda, 1999) samples. Desire to participate in consumer culture appears strong in non-consumer societies (Droge & Mackoy, 1995). Typical CB demographics indicate a preponderance of low- to mid-range income occupations, saddled with a considerable degree of personal debt

(Schlosser, Black, Repertinger, & Freet, 1994). Salzman (1981) hypothesized that CB clients were often in denial as to the personal consequences of their constant financial mire.

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