Dr. Kathleen Galek and Ms.Marcela Torres of StoppingOvershopping, LLC are currently conducting a research study among an urban female college population that examines how themes of identity, spirituality, and life purpose interface with compulsive buying. Their study tests the hypothesis that a stable identity, a sense of purpose in life, and a mature spirituality are… Continue reading How do Identity, Spirituality, and Life Purpose Interface with Compulsive Buying?
Category: Compulsive Buying
Study Suggests That 5.8% of U.S. Population Are Compulsive Buyers
The results of a long-awaited and large-scale prevalence study were published in the October issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry. Professor Larry Koran headed the study, a telephone survey conducted with a random sample of approximately 2500 Americans. According to the results, 6.0% of American women and 5.5% of American men scored in the… Continue reading Study Suggests That 5.8% of U.S. Population Are Compulsive Buyers
Financial Education in the Workplace
On August 16th, a persuasive online article appeared about the harmful effects that financial stress has in the workplace. Jeffrey Strain, who authors this website, cites research that shows greatly decreased efficiency and effectiveness in financially stressed workers. He argues that companies would do well to promote healthier lifestyles in their employees by offering financial… Continue reading Financial Education in the Workplace
Extreme Overshopping Leads To Legal Troubles
Lisa Walker, 42, of New York City, more commonly known as Antoinette Millard, charged nearly a million dollars of goods on her no-limit American Express card during a three-month period in 2004. The former investment banker, who quit her job and pretended to be a Saudi Princess, tried to buy her way into high society.… Continue reading Extreme Overshopping Leads To Legal Troubles
Overshopping Goes Increasingly Global
Within the past few years, research and anecdotal reports of compulsive buying in Australia, Canada, China, England, France, Germany, Korea, India, Ireland, Slovakia, and Spain have been published. Is overshopping a new phenomenon in these countries? Is it on the rise? While there’s probably insufficient historical data to answer the first question, preliminary evidence suggests… Continue reading Overshopping Goes Increasingly Global
Recommended Reading: Give It Up! My Year of Learning to Live Better with Less By Mary Carlomagno (New York: Harper Collins, 2006)
Each month, for a year, Carlomagno chose to do without one of her favorite things: alcohol one month, shopping another, cell phones, dining out, elevators, multi-tasking, television, taxis, coffee, chocolate. Her discoveries and observations, which she shares in an easy, anecdotal style, confirm her book’s title: we can indeed live better by living with less.… Continue reading Recommended Reading: Give It Up! My Year of Learning to Live Better with Less By Mary Carlomagno (New York: Harper Collins, 2006)
Consumer Monster Mockumentary
Canadian filmmaker Jeremy Lutter has nearly finished shooting Not For$ale, a mockumentary about overconsumption. Styled after Michael Moore’s work, the film follows the picaresque journey of a Cookie Monsterish yellow puppet. At home in Canada, he meets a variety of people who teach him about the growing movement to scale back our consumption. His addiction… Continue reading Consumer Monster Mockumentary
Cutting Edge Research
First Epidemiological Study of Compulsive Buying in 14 Years The first epidemiological study of compulsive buying in the U.S. in 14 years is about to be published, co-authored by Lorrin Koran, M.D., of Stanford University and Ron Faber, Ph.D., of the University of Minnesota. The random telephone survey of 2,513 adults, chosen to be representative… Continue reading Cutting Edge Research