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CONSUMER COMPULSIVE BUYING AND HOARDING IN A WORLD OF FAST FASHION Kathleen M. Higgins Thesis Prepared for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS August 2014 APPROVED: Tammy Kinley, Associate Professor/Chairperson-Merchandising & Digital Retailing Jessica Strubel, Lecturer-Merchandising & Digital Retailing Christy A. Crutsinger, Professor- Academic Affairs, Vice Provost for Faculty Success
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Page 1: Consumer compulsive buying and hoarding in a world of fast …/67531/metadc799553/... · iggins, KathleenH M. Consumer compulsive buying and hoarding in a world of fast fashion. Master

CONSUMER COMPULSIVE BUYING AND HOARDING IN A WORLD OF FAST

FASHION

Kathleen M. Higgins

Thesis Prepared for the Degree of

MASTER OF SCIENCE

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS

August 2014

APPROVED:

Tammy Kinley, Associate Professor/Chairperson-Merchandising & Digital Retailing

Jessica Strubel, Lecturer-Merchandising & Digital Retailing

Christy A. Crutsinger, Professor-Academic Affairs, Vice Provost for Faculty Success

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Higgins, Kathleen M. Consumer compulsive buying and hoarding in a

world of fast fashion. Master of Science (Merchandising), August 2014, 60 pp., 6

tables, 3 figures, references, 46 titles.

The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to determine the relationships

between social media, fashion interest and fast fashion involvement and whether

these psychographic variables affect propensity for compulsive clothing buying

and (2) to determine whether a relationship exists between compulsive buying

and propensity toward hoarding.

Data was collected through consumer panel from Qualtrix. Screener

questions ensured that all respondents were adult females with an interest in

fashion. Responses yielded 232 usable surveys, which were analyzed using

SPSS software.

Social media was found to be positively related to fashion interest, fast

fashion involvement, and compulsive clothing buying. Compulsive clothing

buying was found to be positively related to all three compulsive clothes hoarding

symptoms: clothing clutter disorganization, clothing acquisition, and difficulty

discarding clothing.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to show my greatest appreciation and thanks to Dr. Kinley who not only

patiently guided my study but generously provided funding. Without her shared

knowledge and expertise this thesis would not have been possible.

Additionally I would like to thank my committee members Dr. Strubel and Dr.

Crutsinger for their insightful comments and feedback. Finally my deepest and heartfelt

appreciation goes to my friends and family, especially my parents for their unwavering

support and encouragement throughout this process.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS  ...................................................................................................................  i  

LIST OF TABLES  .......................................................................................................................  iv  

LIST OF FIGURES  ......................................................................................................................  v  

Chapter I  .......................................................................................................................................  1  

Purpose of the Study  ...................................................................................................................  2  

Theoretical Framework  ...............................................................................................................  3  

Hypotheses  ...................................................................................................................................  7  

Operational Definitions  ................................................................................................................  8  

Chapter II  ....................................................................................................................................  10  

Review of Literature  ..................................................................................................................  10  

Consumer’s Fashion Interest  ...................................................................................................  10  

Fashion interest.  ........................................................................................................................  10  

Fast fashion.  ...............................................................................................................................  10  

Fast fashion involvement.  .........................................................................................................  11  

Compulsive Buying  ....................................................................................................................  14  

Compulsive  clothing  buying  framework  .......................................................................................  14  

Compulsive  clothing  buying  model.  .............................................................................................  15  

Social Media  ...............................................................................................................................  16  

Social Media Envy.  ....................................................................................................................  17  

Compulsive Hoarding  ................................................................................................................  18  

Chapter III  ...................................................................................................................................  21  

Methodology  ...............................................................................................................................  21  

Instruments  .................................................................................................................................  22  

Social media usage.  ..................................................................................................................  22  

Fashion interest.  ........................................................................................................................  22  

Fast fashion involvement.  .........................................................................................................  22  

Compulsive  clothing  buying  instruments.  ....................................................................................  22  

Compulsive buying scale.  .........................................................................................................  23  

Compulsive hoarding instruments.  ..........................................................................................  23  

Saving inventory revised (SI-R).  ..............................................................................................  23  

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Clutter  image  rating  scale  (CIR).  ...................................................................................................  23  

Analysis Plan  ..............................................................................................................................  24  

Chapter IV  ...................................................................................................................................  25  

Results  ........................................................................................................................................  25  

2012 Census Data Comparison  ..............................................................................................  27  

Analysis of Hypotheses  ............................................................................................................  29  

Data Analysis  .............................................................................................................................  30  

Chapter V  ....................................................................................................................................  37  

Conclusions and Discussion  ....................................................................................................  37  

Discussion  ...................................................................................................................................  38  

Contributions to Research  ........................................................................................................  42  

Recommendations  .....................................................................................................................  43  

Limitations and Further Research  ...........................................................................................  43  

Appendix A  .................................................................................................................................  45  

Appendix B  .................................................................................................................................  47  

References  .................................................................................................................................  55  

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LIST OF TABLES Page

1. Hypotheses and Tests ...............................................................................................24

2. Demographic Characteristics of Respondents ...........................................................26

3. Social Media Usage....................................................................................................29

4. Pearson Product Moment Correlations Between Survey Variables and Fashion

Interest........................................................................................................................31

5. Pearson Product Moment Correlations Between Compulsive Clothing Buying

Tendency and Survey Variables ................................................................................32

6. Analysis of Variance Findings for Compulsive Clothing Buying Tendency and Survey

Variables.....................................................................................................................33

7. Hoarding Profile of Study Participants........................................................................35

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LIST OF FIGURES Page

1. Compulsive Hoarding model based on Frost & Hartl, 1996, and Frost & Skeketee,

1998 .................................................................................................................................5

2. Compulsive Clothing Buying Model (Johnson & Attmann, 2009).................................5

3. Compulsive Buying and Hoarding of Clothing Model ..................................................8

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Chapter I

As storage is a critical dimension of consumption (Cwerner, 2001),

overconsumption can sometimes lead to an overwhelming accumulation of clothing and

lack of closet space. Specifically, unworn clothing can potentially cause a real storage

problem for consumers. Because of rapid fashion cycles, what is “in” is always

changing, causing consumers to feel pressure to continually update their wardrobes

(Cwerner, 2001). As consumers purchase clothing that is deemed fashionable, they

then either hold onto or discard old clothes that are considered “unfashionable” (Banim

& Guy, 2001). Still, despite what is currently deemed fashionable, the wardrobe often

contains both the up-to-date fashions and the out-of-date fashions, becoming a clothing

landfill. The wardrobe consists of both worn and unworn clothing, which women

consider each day when constructing their visual selves (Bye & McKinney, 2007).

These clothes become more than physical objects and take on the role of self-definition

for the wearer (Bye & McKinney, 2007). However, these kept unworn clothes have

been considered a sign of excess consumer culture, and could even suggest a

shopping addiction, such as compulsive shopping or buying (Banim & Guy, 2001).

According to a survey conducted by Woodward (2008), 12% of women’s wardrobes are

considered inactive, 51% have potential to be worn, and only 37% are actually active.

Further, as these inactive clothes are kept instead of discarded, in the extreme, it could

be argued these are hoarding tendencies.

The wardrobe, a physical space where both worn and unworn clothing is stored

(Cwerner, 2001), is designed for the ordering of clothing (Woodward, 2008). A well

organized wardrobe has become a symbol of status (Bye & McKinney, 2007). Media

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and television shows also emphasize the importance of purging old and unworn clothing

in one’s closet and embracing an updated look and new self (Bye & McKinney, 2007).

This obsession with order and space management has also sparked new

companies with services ranging from seasonal storage to closet consultants who

attempt to enable people to maintain control over their wardrobes (Cwerner, 2001).

Research suggests that time management has prompted the urge to simplify one’s life

through more advanced organizational practices (Cwerner, 2001). With clothes well

organized and easily accessible one can more easily maintain their fast paced lifestyles

(Cwerner, 2001). The study seeks to investigate developing sociological de-cluttering

trend and how it specifically relates to one’s wardrobe.

An additional trend influencing the world of fashion is the use of video bloggers

(vloggers) for the endorsements of products (Wood, 2012). Vloggers, specifically those

categorized as beauty vloggers, are known for sponsoring clothing in videos referred to

as “clothes hauls.” In these video posts, beauty vloggers, also referred to as floggers,

describe clothes they have either purchased recently or have been given for free in

exchange for endorsement. These floggers have accumulated millions of loyal and

trusting online subscribers/followers making them optimal endorsers. Thus, the present

study attempts to further investigate the impact these social media marketing

techniques have on the consumer’s decision to make compulsive purchases.

Purpose of the Study

Ultimately, this study seeks to determine why women particularly, are reluctant to

discard clothing. Is it because fast fashion makes it easy to acquire a lot of different

styles relatively inexpensively? Because a simple interest in fashion creates an

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enjoyment of clothing acquisition akin to reaction? Is there a social media influence with

the prevalence of fashion blogs and visual venues such as Pinterest? Therefore, the

purposes of this study are: (1) to determine the relationships between social media,

fashion interest and fast fashion and whether these psychographic variables affect

propensity for compulsive buying and (2) to determine whether a relationship exists

between compulsive buying and propensity toward hoarding.

Hoarding symptoms include clutter disorganization, acquisition, and saving

tendencies which are associated with excessive positive emotion with low-value

possessions (approach) and anxiety, fear, or sadness associated with loss of

possessions (avoidance). Since women often have an emotional attachment to clothing

(Banim & Guy, 2001), do they tend toward hoarding?

Theoretical Framework

Compulsive hoarding has three main symptoms: excessive clutter, excessive

acquisition, and difficulty discarding (Frost, 2010). First, excessive clutter has the

potential to hinder the use of a space for its intended purpose. Second, hoarders tend

to excessively acquire both free items and purchased items, and are also commonly

associated with compulsive buying. Finally, the tendency to have difficulty discarding or

the saving of worthless or worn-out possessions is also common (Steketee & Frost,

2003). These symptoms are measured using the Saving Inventory-Revised (SI-R)

Survey (Frost, Steketee, & Grisham, 2004). These same hoarding concepts of

possessions and living space will be applied specifically to clothing and the wardrobe.

As previously mentioned, wardrobe refers to the space where all clothing is stored. As

one’s clothing exceeds the wardrobe’s capacity, this behavior could suggest compulsive

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clothing hoarding. The hoarding framework is provided in the Compulsive Hoarding

Model (Figure 1). For the purposes of the present study, this model was adapted to

only include the final hoarding symptom variables: clutter disorganization, acquisition,

and saving. This study strives to only determine the presence of participants hoarding,

if any, and not the behavioral tendencies associated with the disorder. Thus, the

preceding variables, information processing, beliefs, family/individual history, approach,

and avoidance were not included. Instead the present study is focused solely on

whether compulsive clothing buyers also have clinically relevant hoarding symptoms.

As many as 75% of people who hoard also engage in compulsive buying

tendencies (Frost, Tolin, Steketee, Fitch, Selbo-Bruns, 2009). Thus the Compulsive

Clothing Buying model developed by Johnson and Attmann (2009) was implemented,

which measures a shoppers compulsive buying tendencies specifically in the context of

clothing (Figure 2).

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Figure 1: Compulsive Hoarding model based on Frost & Hartl, 1996, and Frost &

Skeketee, 1998

Figure 2: Compulsive Clothing Buying Model (Johnson & Attmann, 2009)

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Johnson and Attmann (2009) applied Mowen and Spears’ (1999) hierarchical

approach to analyze the relationships between compulsive buying and additional

variables previously associated with compulsive buying. Johnson and Attmann (2009)

include the variables neuroticism, materialism and fashion interest, and focused on

compulsive buying in the context of clothing. However, for the purposes of this study,

this model was narrowed even further to only include fashion interest in the Clothes

Hoarding Model (Figure 3). Neurtoticim and materialism were eliminated from the final

adapted model because they were classified as personality traits. However, fashion

interest was retained because of the focus on clothing overconsumption. This study

strives to identify behaviors associated with compulsive buying. Johnson and Attmann

(2009) also suggest that the rapid pace and variety of clothing choices available with

fast fashion provide a particularly attractive shopping experience for those who shop

compulsively. Thus, an additional variable, fast fashion involvement, retrieved from

Choi, Liu, Liu, Mak, & To (2010) was added to the Clothes Hoarding Model to measure

fast fashion’s potential influence on compulsive clothing buying behavior. Social media

was also included as a potential contributing factor to fashion interest and fast fashion

involvement. The speed and nature of fast fashion is complimented by the instant

exchange of information through social networking. Additionally, studies have shown

the impact of social media on the fashion consumer’s purchasing decisions (Tellefen,

Rosner, Osofsky, Caswell, 2013).

Although no significant gender differences have been found in the hoarding

symptoms of clutter and difficulty discarding, women have been found to have higher

acquisition levels (Frost & Hristova, 2011). Research suggests this gender

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differentiation could be due to cultural expectations of women to purchase more items

and to experience emotional satisfaction from shopping (Frost et al., 2004). However,

Frost, Steketee & Tolin (2011) found that more women met the criteria for compulsive

buying (64.8%) when compared to men (48%). Thus, it was decided to focus the

present research on women consumers only. Although research has been conducted

investigating the correlations of compulsive shopping and hoarding tendencies, no

research has been done explicitly in the context of women’s clothing.

Hypotheses

The cultural trend toward social media participation continues to grow. This new

communication channel enables a social discussion and critique that can have

participation of a great number of people beyond the immediate social circle. Social

networks such as Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram are influencing fashion consumer

purchasing behaviors (Tellefen et al., 2013). Therefore, the following hypotheses will be

tested:

H1 Participation with Social Media will affect Fashion Interest

H2 Fashion Interest will affect Fast Fashion Involvement

H3 The following tendencies of Compulsive Clothing Buying will be affected by

H3a Social Media

H3b Fashion Interest

H3c Fast Fashion Involvement

H4 Propensity toward Compulsive Clothing Buying will be positively related to the

hoarding tendencies:

H4a Wardrobe Clutter Disorganization

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H4b Clothing Acquisition

H4c Reluctance to Discard Clothing (saving)

Figure 3: Compulsive Buying and Hoarding of Clothing Model

Operational Definitions

Fashion interest. Fashion interest refers to the consumer’s level of interest and

importance for fashion apparel products (Johnson & Attmann, 2009).

Fast fashion. The fast fashion strategy allows retailers to provide the most

current and emerging trends quickly and rapidly to consumers (Choi, et al., 2010). Fast

fashion clothing is produced within a compressed lead time (Johnson & Attmann, 2009)

in order to match supply with uncertain demand (Cachon & Swinney, 2011).

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Fast fashion involvement. A consumer’s involvement level varies based on

the extent of their decision process and information searching (Choi, et al., 2010).

Different involvement levels affect the consumer’s comprehensiveness and ultimate

purchasing decision (Choi, et al., 2010).

Compulsive clothing buying. Compulsive buying is an abnormal form of

consumer behavior, in which the consumer experiences strong and uncontrollable urges

to shop and make purchases. Compulsive buying is often done to compensate for

unhappy events and/or low self-esteem. As the shopping experience raises the mood

of the consumer, it is only temporary, and is usually followed by feelings of shame or

depression (Johnson & Attmann, 2009).

Clutter disorganization. A symptom of hoarding, severe clutter and

disorganization of a living space results in precluded activities for which the space was

intended (Frost, et al., 2004). For the purposes of this study, the concept of clutter and

disorganization will be applied to the individual's clothing and wardrobe.

Acquisition. One of the three main hoarding symptoms, acquisition refers to an

extreme accumulation and failure to discard possessions that seem to be useless or of

little value (Hartl, Frost, Allen, Deckersbach, Steketee, Duffany, & Savage, 2004). This

study focusses only on the possession of clothing.

Saving. Saving, the final hoarding symptom, refers to difficulty discarding

possessions (Frost, et al., 2004). Those who hoard also tend to place higher value on

possessions making discarding very difficult. For this study, this variable will refer to

women’s tendencies to hold onto inactive and unworn clothing.

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Chapter II

Review of Literature

Consumer’s Fashion Interest

Fashion interest.

O’Cass (2004) explains that the effect of product interest and involvement is

investigated to more thoroughly understand purchasing and consumer behavior.

Involvement refers to the consumers’ interaction with the object (O’Cass, 2004), and

fashion clothing involvement specifically focuses on clothing interaction. A consumer’s

level of fashion clothing involvement is determined by the extent to which the consumer

considers this interaction to be a central, meaningful, and engaging activity in their life

(O’Cass, 2004). It is important to note that fashion clothing means different things to

different people, and therefore form different levels of attachments and interests

(O’Cass, 2004). Furthermore, when consumers consider fashion to be of great

importance and interest, they are thought to have high levels of fashion product

involvement (Yurchisin & Johnson, 2004).

Fast fashion.

Fast fashion emphasizes the efficiency and speed of production of fashion-

focused clothing at the lowest possible price for the consumer. Low prices make it easy

for the consumer to impulsively purchase items regardless of whether or not they are

truly needed. Today’s fashion consumer is interested in rapidly changing trends and is

quickly bored with current styles. With constant technological access, new fashions are

constantly evolving and developing, almost instantly exposing consumers to the latest

trends. Fast fashion trends are primarily directed towards young women, who glean

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fashion information through the internet and fashion magazines (Claudio, 2007). Since

young consumers are probably the most concerned with trends compared to other age

groups, they are also the most avid fast fashion shoppers (Morgan & Birtwistle, 2009)

These retailers target the young female population because they are the most

concerned with being up to date and fashionable (Claudio, 2007). Because these

clothes are so inexpensive, consumers are able to purchase more items, keeping their

wardrobe diverse and versatile. However, as the trends are continually evolving, are all

clothes in one’s wardrobe being worn and utilized, or are they tucked away and quickly

replaced?

Fast fashion involvement.

O’Cass (2004) refers to fashion involvement as the extent to which the consumer

views fashion as a central and meaningful activity in their life. Different levels of

involvement influence the consumer’s decision and information search in regards to fast

fashion and fast fashion brands (Choi, et al., 2010). According to Choi, et al. (2010), a

higher level of fast fashion involvement does encourage consumers to further evaluate

fast fashion brand extensions. The rapid cycles of fast fashion is often accredited to the

sociocultural lifestyle changes of the consumer, who is continuously aware of the latest

fashion trends and as a result feels compelled to adapt to the reality in an affordable

manner (Gabrielli, Baghi, & Codeluppi, 2013). Fast fashion attracts the consumer who

no longer makes purchases out of necessity. Its efficient production process allows for

low prices and continued renewed selection in stores. With social media, both

marketers and consumers are able to upload, share, and exchange images of the latest

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fashion in real time further propelling the fast fashion process.

The role of clothing.

For many women, clothing serves as a direct representation of their personality

(Bye & McKinney, 2007). Individuals desire acknowledgment from others that they

have achieved self-definition (O’Cass, 2004). To achieve this sense, individuals engage

in behaviors associated with symbols, such as purchasing, wearing, and displaying

clothing, until the individual feels they have both convinced others and themselves of

their desired self-definition (O’Cass, 2004). Bye & McKinney (2007) suggest that the

contents of the wardrobe allow “women to piece together their visual self-representation

to the world while meeting their functional, emotional, and aesthetic needs” (p. 484). As

a result, the wardrobe becomes a clothing library allowing the owner to combine its

contents to create their final presentation of self (Cwerner, 2001). Bye & McKinney

(2007) explain that meaning can be transferred from the clothing to the individual. The

meaning associated with the clothing interferes with the process of discarding. For

separation from self to take place, the individual must remove the meaning from the

object. However, most extant research focuses on the self-defining role of worn

clothing versus the role of stored clothing (Cwerner, 2001).

Elliott (1994) proposed that consumers may even be compelled to compulsively

purchase clothing in order to achieve a more accurate representation or even to create

an idealized self. “Consumers may compulsively buy products such as clothing to

match their subjective perceptions of themselves with a socially desirable or required

appearance as a self-defining goal” (Elliott, 1994, p. 395). Clothing products are used

as symbols of self-completion because they may communicate an ideal self-image or

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increase self-confidence (Yurchisin & Johnson, 2004). According to Johnson and

Attmann (2009), clothing is a material possession that holds a significant status and can

symbolize an individual’s identity.

The process of shopping for clothing in itself is a highly emotionally charged

experience for the consumer (Bye & McKinney, 2007). From the very beginning of the

clothing relationship, an emotional connection has been created and has the potential to

deepen over time and can be the cause of conflict when a garment inevitably needs to

be discarded (Bye & McKinney, 2007). This deepened relationship suggests that

clothing has personal meaning for the owner that extends past whether it is being worn

or stored (Banim & Guy, 2001).

Banim and Guy (2001) explored women’s relationships with their clothes,

specifically unworn clothing. They outlined three inter-dependent views based on these

relationships, “the woman I want to be,” “the woman I feel I could be,” and “the woman I

am most of the time.” It was in these three ways they found that women used clothes to

define themselves. Banim and Guy (2001) gathered research from fifteen women who

provided an essay reflecting their fashion interests, a two week clothing, and were

interviewed alongside their wardrobes. When investigating the role of kept clothing,

women referred to their clothes in terms of changing and enduring aspects of self.

Thus, unworn clothing was broken into three categories: discontinued identity,

transitional identity, and continued identity (Banim & Guy, 2001). Discontinued identity

refers to an identity the owner no longer feels represents them; these associations

related to these items are usually negative. Transitional identity refers to the clothes

that the owner is not currently wearing but still considering the item’s fate. Continued

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identity are clothes that the owner will always keep but are likely to never wear (Banim

& Guy, 2001).

Compulsive Buying

Compulsive buying is chronic recurring buying that becomes the initial response

to negative events or feelings (Park & Burns, 2005). The tendency for the compulsive

consumer to make purchases is triggered by stress and anxiety. The purchases are

meant to temporarily alleviate these negative feelings, however these same purchases

are often followed by additional negative feelings of shame or depression. Additional

outcomes may include family and/or marital discord, anxiety, frustration, and financial

debt (Christenson, et al., 1994).

Like compulsive shoppers, hoarders also often experience repercussions for their

behavior. Both are very deconstructive tendencies but are meant to make the

buyer/hoarder feel better temporarily. Because these feelings of relief are only

temporary, the buyer/hoarder has to continually purchase possessions to escape

negative thoughts and anxiety (DeSarbo & Edwards, 1996). Compulsive buying differs

from impulse buying which is specific to one product at a particular moment.

Compulsive buying is ongoing and focuses on the entire buying process, not just the

purchases (Park and Burns, 2005).

Compulsive clothing buying framework

Mowen and Spears’ (1999) hierarchical approach consisting of cardinal, central,

and surface traits was used to analyze the relationships between compulsive buying

and associated variables: neuroticism, materialism, and fashion interest. Neuroticism

“contrasts even temperedness with negative emotionality” (Johnson & Attmann, 2009,

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p. 397). It is also related to cognitive and behavioral styles that are associated with the

tendency to experience distress. Someone who has high neuroticism is considered to

be anxious and worrisome (Johnson & Attmann, 2009). Richins (2004) defines

materialism as the “importance ascribed to the ownership and acquisition of material

goods in achieving major life goals or desired states” (p. 210). Material values

encompass three main domains: the use of material possessions to measure the

success of oneself and others, the centrality of possessions in a person’s life, and that

the acquisition of possessions lead to happiness and life satisfaction. Overall, an

extreme materialistic person believes self-fulfillment is achievement through material

possessions. Fashion interest is one of four dimensions that make up fashion

orientation (Gutman & Mills, 1982). Further research by Park and Burns (2005), found

that fashion interest was the only one of the four that correlated with compulsive

shopping, therefore Johnson and Attmann (2009) only included this variable in their

study.

Compulsive clothing buying model.

Mowen and Spears’ (1999) cardinal traits, also referred to as personality traits,

are defined as “the basic underlying predispositions of individuals that arise from

genetics and early learning history” (p.410). Johnson and Attmann (2009) employed

neuroticism as the only cardinal trait. Central traits were defined as, “narrower in

application and emerging from the interplay of cardinal traits, the culture which an

individual lives, and the learning history of the individual” ( p.410). Materialism and

fashion interest were employed as the central traits. Surface traits result from the

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outcomes of both the cardinal and central traits (Johnson & Attmann, 2009).

Compulsive clothing buying is a surface trait.

According to Johnson and Attmann (2009) studies have shown that both

consumer fashion interest (Park & Burns, 2005) and apparel product involvement

(Yurchisin & Johnson, 2004) have been highly correlated with compulsive buying. The

pressure of the fast fashion market makes shoppers particularly vulnerable to these

compulsive purchasing tendencies (Johnson & Attmann, 2009). Because fashion is

cyclical and changing at such a rapid pace, consumers may feel compelled to make

frequent purchases in order to keep up with the current fashions which can ultimately

lead to product accumulation (Johnson & Attmann, 2009). Fast fashion is particularly

attractive to compulsive consumers as it continually provides new clothing merchandise

(Johnson & Attmann, 2009).

Social Media

Tellefen et al. (2013) surveyed American women (n=1005) with social media

profiles on at least one social network to determine how these social channels

influenced their fashion purchases. Researchers determined two segments of female

social media users: fashionistas (28%) and social shoppers (15%). Women who

strongly agreed with the statement, “fashion and beauty are extremely important to me”

were categorized as fashionistas, while women who strongly agreed with “the brands

and products my friends use influence my own purchase decisions” were categorized as

social shoppers (Tellefen et al., 2013). According to Wilms (2013) 60% of fashionistas

and social shoppers are influenced by social media; 72% of social shoppers rely on

Facebook, while 56% of fashionistas were influenced by Facebook (Wilms, 2013).

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Roughly 50% of both fashionistas and social shoppers were influenced by Pinterest

(Wilms, 2013). With social media’s influence on consumer purchase behavior,

marketers are quickly recognizing the advantages of participating in these online

communities.

Social Media Envy.

Social media allows users to compare themselves to their peers on an extreme

scale, raising both personal and social expectations. Consequently consumers become

envious of what they do not have resulting in a phenomenon referred to lifestyle envy

and Instagram envy (Anderson, 2014). Most online users are depicting images of their

best selves to showcase to the rest of the world. These images are not portraying

reality and are usually staged as well as edited with filters to make images and items

appear as attractive as possible (Krishnamurthy, 2014). With constant access to envy

triggers, these feelings are almost unavoidable. As the ordinary user is exposed to

these idealized images, they are in turn trained to covet the unattainable

(Krishnamurthy, 2014).

According to research, social media users find ways to cope with their feelings of

envy (Golijan, 2013). Some decrease or discontinue social media use completely, while

others alter the content of their posts (Golijan, 2013). Women’s posts usually highlight

their appearance and social lives, whereas men tend to boast about their

accomplishments (Golijan, 2013). Additional studies have revealed that Facebook does

effect mental health causing users to be more self conscious about their bodies and

weight as well as causing them to be more self-indulgient and spend more (Golijan,

2013).

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Compulsive Hoarding

Compulsive hoarding is defined as “the acquisition of, and inability to discard,

possessions of limited value, to a degree that precludes appropriate use of living spaces

and creates significant distress or impairment in functioning” (Grisham & Barlow, 1982,

p.45-46). Thus, an extreme accumulation of unworn clothing could suggest an individual

has a tendency to hoard. Cherrier (2010) explains that the tendencies of functional

hoarders have little to no effect on their lifestyles and ability to interact socially, as

opposed to hoarders with obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCDs).

Although hoarding was previously considered to be a subtype of obsessive

compulsive disorder (Grisham & Barlow, 2005), it is now regarded as a distinct disorder

(Frost & Hristova, 2011). Hoarding has also been found to be associated with a

spectrum of impulse control disorders (ICDs), specifically compulsive buying (Grisham

& Barlow, 2005). Frost & Hartl’s (1996) research suggests the connections to

compulsive buying, since the purchase and acquisition of objects that are clearly

frivolous and unnecessary provide comfort to the consumer.

Previous research has suggested that people acquire possessions as a way to

relate to the world around them (Grishham & Barlow, 2005). This description seems

applicable to the way people use their clothes to represent themselves. However, those

who hoard tend to find security from - and develop attachments to - their possessions

rather than to other people (Grisham & Barlow, 2005). As a result, the hoarder is

completely consumed with their possessions. Narratives collected by Cherrier (2010)

showed that the possessions or objects usually embodied a specific place or

occurrence for the owner. As these physical objects are held, research suggests they

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evoke a more powerful emotional response than a photograph, becoming memory

vessels. Sometimes objects were associated with specific individuals and preserving

the memory of their relationship. According to Cherrier (2010), these relationships

could vary from close family member to acquaintance.

Those who hoard do so because of the emotional response they have related to

an item or possession. When items are acquired and not discarded, the hoarder is

avoiding the feelings of anxiety that are associated with this decision making process.

Because the saved items provide a feeling of pleasure and comfort, these saving

actions are only reinforced (Grisham & Barlow, 2005).

Researchers have also proposed that the tendency to collect and accumulate

goods is a natural instinctual behavior utilized as a way of ensuring survival when

resources are scarce (Grisham & Barlow, 2005). However, among those individuals

who compulsively hoard, this tendency is extreme and sometimes even dangerous and

can result in the significant disruption of the hoarders life and the family’s well-being

(Frost & Gross,1993).

Studies have shown that those who hoard have difficulty determining the value of

possessions when organizing and discarding items due to information processing

deficits. A study investigating the correlation between hoarding and memory compared

hoarders and a control group. The hoarding participants recalled less information for

both verbal and nonverbal tests and used less efficient organizational techniques (Hartl

et al. 2004). The hoarding participants lacked confidence in their memory and had

trouble with decision making. Attention deficiency is also common in hoarders who

struggle to stay focused when choosing to either keep or discard items and often shift

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their attention from one item to the next (Grisham & Barlow, 2005). Hoarders feel that

all their possessions are disproportionately valuable no matter what the item and its

actual value. This contributes to their indecisive behavior when attempting to either

choose to keep or discard an item.

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Chapter III

Methodology

This study focused on women’s relationship with their clothing, and specifically

sought to determine their potential for reluctance to discard. Contributing factors

investigated included the influence of social media, fashion interest, fast fashion

involvement, tendency to be a compulsive buyer, and potential hoarding. Four

hypotheses were formulated to address this research problem.

An online pre-test was distributed (N=56) to University of North Texas

undergraduate students to determine any potential survey errors. A few minor

adjustments were made to ensure clarity of final data collection. The survey was then

submitted to the UNT Institutional Review Board and approved after additional survey

adjustments were made (See Appendix A & Appendix B).

Data analyzed for the study were collected via online surveys using Qualtrix

software. The participants were acquired through a purchased consumer panel from

Qualtrix.com. Screener questions located at the beginning of the survey ensured that

respondents were eighteen years or older, female, and had an interest in fashion. The

survey was open from March 11, 2014 to March 14, 2014 resulting in a total of 247

completed surveys which yielded 232 usable surveys. Data was analyzed with SPSS

software; specific tests used were Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation, one-way

ANOVA and simple frequency for the demographic information.

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Instruments

Social media usage.

Social media usage was measured on a five-item scale where 1 = never, 2 =

rarely, 3 = sometimes, 4 = often, and 5 = several times per day. This scale was

designed to determine the amount of time the consumer spent on the different forms of

social media: Facebook, Pinterest, Fashion Blogs, Twitter, and Instagram.

Fashion interest.

Fashion interest was measured with Gutman & Mills’ (1982) five-item scale

where 1= strongly disagree and 5= strongly agree. This scale was designed to

measure the consumer’s interests as they relate to their acquisition of fashion

merchandise (Gutman & Mills, 1982). A chronbach’s alpha of between 0.80 and 0.87

was computed for this scale (Gutman & Mills, 1982).

Fast fashion involvement.

Fast fashion was included as an additional fashion related variable to Johnson and

Attmann’s (2009) original framework in order to more specifically analyze the effect of fast

fashion on compulsive clothing buying. This five-item Likert scale was tested using a 6-

point scale, where 6= Strongly Agree and1= Strongly Disagree.

Compulsive clothing buying instruments.

Developed by Johnson and Attmann (2009), the compulsive buying framework

was measured using a five-item scale where 1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly

agree. This scale was meant to investigate compulsive consumption, specifically in the

context of clothing. For the purposes of this study, the only original variables tested

were fashion interest and compulsive clothing buying.

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Compulsive buying scale.

The compulsive buying scale measured five dimensions of compulsive buying.

These include tendency to spend, compulsion/drive to spend, feelings about and

experienced while shopping, dysfunctional spending, and post-purchase guilt (Edwards,

1993). The thirteen item scale is meant to classify the buyer’s level of compulsiveness:

low (borderline), medium (compulsive), and high (addicted), in addition to non-

compulsive shopping and recreation (Edwards, 1993). Though this scale was originally

used by Edwards (1993) it was adapted by Johnson and Attmann (2009) in their

Compulsive Clothing Buying scale.

Compulsive hoarding instruments.

Saving inventory revised (SI-R).

The SI-R contained 23 items using a Likert-type scale from 0 to 4. Questions are

designed to measure the three key hoarding symptoms: clutter disorganization (9

items), difficulty discarding clothing (7 items), and acquisition (7 items). These variables

were modified to fit the context of apparel and renamed as: compulsive clothing buying,

clothing clutter/ disorganization, and clothing acquisition. Thus, survey questions were

additionally adapted. For example, “possessions” was replaced with clothing, and

“living area” was replaced with closet/ wardrobe.

Clutter image rating scale (CIR).

The CIR consisted of nine color images of a room cluttered at varying degrees

(Frost, Steketee, Tolin, & Renaud, 2008). Participants were asked to choose the image

that best represented the amount of clothing in their home. Scores ranged from 1=

least cluttered and 9= most cluttered.

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Analysis Plan

The collected data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social

Sciences SPSS. Hypothesis testing was conducting according to the following

schedule:

Table 1

Hypotheses and Tests

Hypothesis Variables Statistical Test H1 Participation with Social Media will

affect Fashion Interest Social Media Fashion Interest (scale)

Correlation

H2 Fashion Interest will affect Fast Fashion Involvement

Fashion Interest (scale) Fast Fashion Involvement (scale)

Correlation

H3a Compulsive clothing buying will be affected by social media.

Social Media Compulsive Buying (High, Medium, Low)

Correlation

H3b Compulsive clothing buying will be affected by fashion interest.

Fashion Interest (scale) Compulsive Buying (High, Medium, Low)

ANOVA & Correlation

H3c Compulsive clothing buying will be affected by fast fashion involvement.

Fast Fashion Involvement (scale) Compulsive Buying (High, Medium, Low)

ANOVA & Correlation

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H4a Propensity toward compulsive clothing buying will be positively related to the approach hoarding tendency, wardrobe clutter disorganization.

Compulsive Buying (High, Medium, Low) Wardrobe Clutter Disorganization (scale)

ANOVA & Correlation

H4b Propensity toward compulsive clothing buying will be positively related to the approach hoarding tendency, clothing acquisition.

Compulsive Buying (High, Medium, Low) Clothing Acquisition (scale)

ANOVA & Correlation

H4c Propensity toward compulsive clothing buying will be positively related to the approach hoarding tendency, reluctance to discard clothing (saving).

Compulsive Buying (High, Medium, Low) Reluctance to Discard Clothing (scale)

ANOVA & Correlation

Chapter IV

Results

As this study sought to determine the existence and potential sources of clothes

hoarding among women, the following relationships were tested. First, whether social

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media, fashion interest, and fast fashion involvement influence compulsive clothing

buying. Second, whether compulsive clothing buying is related to compulsive clothing

hoarding (clothes clutter disorganization, clothing acquisition, and reluctance to

discarding clothing).

Sample Demographics

The demographic profile of the respondents presented in Table 2, indicates that

ages ranged from 21 to 46 (M= 36.64). There was a higher response rate among the

older respondents ages 39 to 46 accounting for 43.2 percent of the sample.

Approximately 17%, also had a household income ranging from $70,000 to $99,999.

Fifty-eight percent of respondents were married, 36% were single, and 6% selected

other. Most respondents had a high school education or greater.

Table 2 Demographic Characteristics of Respondents Variables Age

Mean 36.64 - Minimum 21 - Maximum 46 -

Frequency (N=232)

Percent

Household income Less than $10,000 20 9.0% $10,000 - $19,999 30 13.0% $20,000 - $29,999 24 10.0% $30,000 - $39,999 26 11.0% $40,000 - $49,999 31

13.0% $50,000 - $59,999 25 11.0% $60,000 - $69,999 14 6.0% $70,000 - $99,999 40 17.0%

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$100,000 - $149,999 14 6.0% $150,000 - $199,999 5 2.0% $200,000 or more 3 1.0%

Marital status Married 134 58.0% Single 83 36.0% Separated, widowed, divorced 15 6.0%

Education Elementary/middle school 1 0.0% Some high school 4 2.2% High school graduate 63 27.0% Some college, no degree 61 26.0% Associate/technical degree 36 16.0% Bachelor’s degree 49 21.0% Graduate/professional degree 18 8.0%

2012 Census Data Comparison

The 2012 American Community Survey recorded a total population sample of

313,914,040, including both males and females of all ages with females accounting for

50.8%. The total number of respondents 18 years and older was 240,203,630 with

51.4% (123,464,665.82) being female (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2012). Of the adult

female population, 29.38% were 18 to 34 years, 50.91% were 35 to 64 years, and

19.71% were 65 years or older (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2012). As a comparison to

the response rate of the present study, the 2012 American Community Survey received

a higher response rate from ages 35 to 64 similar to the current study’s higher response

from respondents ages 39 to 46. It also received a smaller response from the younger

respondents ages 18 to 34 similar to the current study’s lower response from ages 18 to

34. Finally, the 2012 American Community Survey also received a minimal response

from participants 65 years or older, just as this age group is completely unrepresented

in the current study.

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Marital status of female respondents 15 years and older consisted of, 46.3%

married, 9.2% widowed, 12.4% divorced, 2.5% separated, and 29.6% never married

(U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2012). Again demographic responses are comparable to

the current study with most respondents recording they are married, followed by single

respondents, and the least amount of respondents stating to be separated, widowed or

divorced.

Eighty-seven percent of female respondents received a high school education or

higher and 29.1% received a bachelor’s degree or higher, while 10.9% of the entire

male and female population received a graduate or professional degree (U.S. Bureau of

the Census, 2012). Just as the current study, high school graduates had the highest

response percentage, with a slightly lower bachelor's degree response, and the smallest

graduate/professional response.

Lastly, mean earnings for full-time year-round female workers was $47,001 (U.S.

Bureau of the Census, 2012). Again comparable results were found, with the mean

annual income range for the current study also being $40,000 to $49,999.

The level of social media usage among respondents is provided in Table 3.

Facebook was the preferred social media site, with 58.6% of respondents checking it

several times per day and only 9.9% never checking. The other preferred social media

sites in descending order were Pinterest (12.5% used several times per day) Twitter

(10.8% used several times per day), and Fashion Blogs (10.8% used several times per

day). The least used social media site among respondents was Instagram with only

5.6% checking several times per day and 51.7% never checking.

Table 3

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Social Media Usage Variables Frequency

(N=232) Percent

Facebook

Never 23 9.9% Rarely 7 3.0% Sometimes 20 8.6% Often 46 19.8% Several times per day 136 58.6%

Pinterest Never 77 33.2% Rarely 30 12.9% Sometimes 47 20.3% Often 49 21.1% Several times per day 29 12.5%

Fashion Blogs Never 101 43.5% Rarely 32 17.7% Sometimes 45 16.8% Often 45 11.2% Several times per day 9 10.8%

Twitter Never 101 43.5% Rarely 41 17.7% Sometimes 39 16.8% Often 26 11.2% Several times per day 25 10.8%

Instagram Never 120 51.7% Rarely 34 14.7% Sometimes 32 13.8% Often 33 14.2% Several times per day 13 5.6%

Analysis of Hypotheses

Three hypotheses were proposed for this study. Data were statistically analyzed

for application to the specific hypotheses. The data were received from Qualtrix in

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SPSS format and all were complete records. With all statistical procedures used in the

present study, a probability level of .05 or less was considered significant.

Means, standard deviations, Pearson Product Moment Correlations, and

Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used for analyses of the hypotheses. The mean

and standard deviation allowed comparison of variables using measures of central

tendency. The ANOVA was used to compare two or more groups to determine whether

a significant difference existed between mean scores of the groups being compared. A

significant difference would indicate the two populations probably do not have the same

mean. When post hoc tests were required to determine which groups possessed

different means, the Scheffe’ test was used. Pearson Product Moment Correlations

were also computed for some hypotheses. The correlation procedure was used for

situations involving continuous and scale variables.

Data Analysis

H1: Social media and fashion interest.

Hypothesis 1 predicted that participation with social media will affect fashion

interest. Pearson Product Moment Correlation analysis indicated a strong positive

relationship between use of social media and fashion interest. The strongest

correlations were with fashion blogs (r = .636, p <.0001) and Instagram (r = .474, p

<.0001), followed by moderate correlations with Twitter (r = .361, p <.0001), Pinterest (r

= .303, p <.0001), and Facebook (r = .202, p <.002). Respondents who indicated they

use the social networks more often also indicated a higher interest in fashion (Table 4).

Therefore, H1 was accepted.

Table 4

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Pearson Product Moment Correlations Between Survey Variables and Fashion Interest Variables r Sig. H1: Fashion Blogs and Fashion Interest 0.64 0.0001

H1: Instagram and Fashion Interest 0.47 0.0001 H1: Twitter and Fashion Interest 0.36 0.0001 H1: Pinterest and Fashion Interest 0.30 0.0001 H1: Facebook and Fashion Interest 0.20 0.002 H2: Fast Fashion Involvement and Fashion

Interest 0.80 0.0001

H2: Fashion interest and fast fashion involvement.

Hypothesis 2 predicted that fashion interest will affect fast fashion involvement.

Pearson Product Moment Correlation analysis indicated a strong positive relationship

between fashion interest and fast fashion involvement (r=.799, p<.0001). Participants

who had a high fashion interest also indicated a high level of fast fashion involvement

(Table 4), therefore H2 was accepted.

H3a: Compulsive clothing buying and social media.

Hypothesis 3a predicted that compulsive clothing buying will be affected by social

media. Pearson Product Moment Correlation analysis indicated a strong positive

relationship between use of social media and compulsive clothing buying. Positive

correlations were found between each of the social media and compulsive clothing

buying. The strongest correlations were with fashion blogs (r = .448, p <.000) and

Instagram (r = .280, p <.0001), followed by moderate correlations with Twitter (r = .220,

p <.001), Facebook (r = .186, p <.005), and Pinterest (r = .152, p <.021). As the

consumers’ social media usage increases, so does their tendency to compulsively buy

clothes (Table 5). Hypothesis H3a was accepted.

Table 5

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Pearson Product Moment Correlations Between Compulsive Clothing Buying (CCB) Tendency and Survey Variables Variables r Sig. H3: CCB and Fashion Blogs 0.45 0.0001 H3a: CCB and Instagram 0.30 0.0001 H3a: CCB and Twitter 0.22 0.0010 H3a: CCB and Facebook 0.19 0.0050 H3a: CCB and Pinterest 0.15 0.0210 H3b: CCB and Fashion Interest 0.67 0.0001 H3c: CCB and Fast Fashion Involvement 0.66 0.0001

H4a: CCB and Clothing Clutter Disorganization

0.43 0.0001

H4b: CCB and Clothing Acquisition 0.69 0.0001 H4c: CCB and Reluctance to Discard

Clothing 0.48 0.0001

H3b: Compulsive clothing buying and fashion interest.

Hypothesis H3b predicted that compulsive clothing buying will be affected by

fashion interest. Pearson Product Moment Correlation analysis indicated a strong

positive relationship between compulsive clothing buying and fashion interest (r = .672,

p <.0001). As the consumers’ interests in fashion increases, so did their tendency to

compulsively buy clothing (Table 5). Therefore, hypothesis H3b was accepted.

To further explore the effect of propensity toward compulsive buying on fashion

interest, a one-way ANOVA was employed. Tendency toward compulsive buying, was

divided into three categories based on the average participant responses on the scale.

A mean score of 1 to 2.5 was classified as low compulsive clothing buying, a mean

score of 2.5 to 3.5 was classified as medium compulsive clothing buying, and a mean

score of 3.5 to 5 was classified as high compulsive clothing buying. Analysis indicated

significant differences (F = 72.043, p = .0001) in fashion interest between the

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compulsive buying groups. Because ANOVA indicates that a significant difference

exists, but does not indicate where the difference(s) are, the Scheffe’ post hoc analysis

was employed. Fashion interest differed significantly across the three levels (F =

72.043, p < .0001). ANOVA indicated high compulsive shoppers subjects (M = 3.82)

were more likely to have high levels of fashion interest compared to medium (M = 3.41)

and low compulsive shoppers (M = 2.32), as shown in Table 6.

Table 6 Analysis of Variance Findings for Compulsive Clothing Buying Tendency and Survey Variables Variables Low

Compulsive Clothing Buying Mean (n=62)

Medium Compulsive

Clothing Buying Mean (n=92)

High Compulsive

Clothing Buying Mean (n=78)

F

p <

Fashion Interest 2.32a 3.41b 3.82c 72.04 0.0001 Fast Fashion Involvement 2.57a 3.45b 3.68c 63.64 0.0001

Wardrobe Clutter Disorganization

1.22a 1.60b 2.14c 27.09 0.0001

Clothing Acquisition 1.89a 2.43b 3.21c 87.55 0.0001 Reluctance to Discard

Clothing 2.30a 2.68b 3.34c 33.41 0.0001

Note. Means sharing a common superscript are not significantly different by the Scheffe test. H3c: Compulsive clothing buying and fast fashion involvement.

Hypothesis H3c predicted that compulsive clothing buying will be affected by fast

fashion involvement. Pearson Product Moment Correlation analysis indicated a strong

positive relationship between compulsive clothing buying and fast fashion involvement (r

= .659, p <.0001). Respondents who indicated they had greater fast fashion

involvement, indicated a tendency to compulsively buy clothing (Table 5). Therefore,

hypothesis H3c was accepted.

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A one-way ANOVA was computed to further define the relationship between

these two variables. Fast fashion Involvement differed significantly across the three

levels (F = 63.638, p = .0001). ANOVA indicated high compulsive shoppers (M = 3.68)

were more likely to have high levels of fashion interest compared to medium (M = 3.45)

and low compulsive shoppers (M = 2.57) as indicated in Table 6.

Compulsive Hoarding Profile

Each hoarding symptom was divided based on the average participant

responses on the scale. A mean score of 1 to 2.5 was classified as low compulsive

clothing hoarding, a mean score of 2.5 to 3.5 was classified as medium compulsive

clothing hoarding, and a mean score of 3.5 to 5 was classified as high compulsive

clothing hoarding. The compulsive hoarding profile of the respondents presented in

Table 7, indicates that most respondents had low compulsive hoarding tendencies.

Eighty-four percent of respondents scored low for wardrobe clutter and disorganization

with only 5.6% accounting for high wardrobe clutter and disorganization. Fifty-three

percent of respondents scored low for clothing saving and acquisition with 15.5%

scoring high. Finally, 44.2% of respondents scored low for reluctance to discard

clothing (saving) while 22.4% of respondents scored high. Of all three hoarding

symptoms, difficulty discarding had the highest respondent score for high compulsive

tendencies.

Second, the clutter image rating represented the amount of clothing in the

respondents wardrobe based on a scale from 1-9, with a score of 1 indicating least

clutter and 9 indicating most cluttered. Most participants chose images 1-4 accounting

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for 95% of responses. Only 2 outlier respondents chose 9, the highest level of wardrobe

clutter.

Table 7 Hoarding Profile of Study Participants Variables Frequency Percent Wardrobe Clutter Disorganization

Low (1-2.5) 197 84.9% Medium (2.5-3.5) 22 9.4% High (2.5-5) 13 5.6%

Clothing Acquisition Low (1-2.5) 124 53.4% Medium (2.5-3.5) 72 31.1% High (2.5-5) 36 15.5%

Reluctance to Discard Clothing (Saving)

Low (1-2.5) 103 44.2% Medium (2.5-3.5) 77 33.0% High (2.5-5) 52 22.4%

Clutter Image Rating Scale 1 83 36% 2 85 37% 3 30 13% 4 20 9% 5 7 3% 6 2 1% 7 3 1% 8 0 0% 9 2 1%

Note. The hoarding scale was measured on a 5-point scale where 1=None and 5=Almost all/Complete. Note. The Clutter Image Rating Scale consisted of a series of 9 photographs in which a bedroom as depicted as neat (1) to extremely messy (9). This instrument is in Appendix B. H4a: Compulsive clothing buying and wardrobe clutter disorganization.

Hypothesis H4a predicted that compulsive clothing buying will be positively

related to wardrobe clutter disorganization. Pearson Product Moment Correlation

analysis indicated a strong positive relationship between compulsive clothing buying

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and wardrobe clutter disorganization (r = .429, p <.0001). Respondents who indicated

they had greater wardrobe clutter disorganization, indicated a tendency to compulsively

buy clothing (Table 6). Therefore, hypothesis H4a was accepted.

Additionally, a one-way ANOVA was calculated to test for consumer wardrobe

clutter disorganization differences among the low, medium, and high compulsive

clothing buyers. Wardrobe clutter disorganization differed significantly across the three

levels (F = 27.092, p = .0001). While the mean scores were relatively low, ANOVA

indicated high compulsive clothing shoppers (M = 2.14) had higher levels of fashion

interest compared to medium (M = 1.60) and low compulsive clothing shoppers (M =

1.22) as indicated in Table 7.

H4b: Compulsive clothing buying and clothing acquisition.

Hypothesis H4b predicted that compulsive clothing buying will be positively

related to clothing acquisition. Pearson Product Moment Correlation analysis indicated

a strong positive relationship between compulsive clothing buying and clothing

acquisition (r = .691, p <.0001). Respondents who indicated a higher tendency to

compulsively buy clothing also had a greater tendency to acquire clothing (See Table

6), therefore H4b was accepted.

A one-way ANOVA was used to test for consumer clothing acquisition

differences among low, medium, and high compulsive clothing buying. Clothing

acquisition differed significantly across the three levels (F = 87.551, p < .0001). ANOVA

indicated high compulsive clothing shoppers subjects (M = 3.21) were more likely to

have higher clothing acquisition levels compared to medium (M = 2.43) and low

compulsive shoppers (M = 1.89) as indicated in Table 7.

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H4c: Compulsive clothing buying and reluctance to discard clothing

(saving)

Hypothesis H4c predicted that compulsive clothing buying will be positively

related to reluctance to discard clothing. Pearson Product Moment Correlation analysis

indicated a strong positive relationship between compulsive clothing buying and

reluctance to discard clothing (r = .480, p <.0001). Respondents who indicated they

had a greater tendency to compulsively buy clothing, also admitted having more

difficulty discarding clothing (Table 6), therefore H4c was accepted.

Again, a one-way ANOVA was used to test for consumer reluctance to discard

clothing differences among the low, medium, and high compulsive clothing buyers.

Reluctance to discard clothing differed significantly across the three levels (F = 33.412,

p < .0001). ANOVA indicated high compulsive clothing shoppers subjects (M = 3.34)

were more likely to have high levels of difficulty when discarding their clothes compared

to medium (M = 2.68) and low compulsive clothing shoppers (M = 2.30) as indicated in

Table 7.

Chapter V

Conclusions and Discussion

This survey of adult female consumers sought to identify influences on women’s

clothes shopping and potential hoarding tendencies. Social media, fashion interest, and

fast fashion involvement were presented as potential contributing factors to these

behaviors. Social media usage does have an impact on the consumer’s fashion interest

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and fast fashion involvement. As social media introduces the latest fashions to a wide

range of consumers quickly and regularly, they can respond in real time, providing a

virtual space, where the consumer’s interests and involvement of fashion can be

encouraged and strengthened. Social media is viewed as a way to improve customer

relationships as well as reach out to a larger audience (Mohr, 2013). Increased fashion

interest levels also increases the consumers’ likelihood to purchase fashion products.

More specifically this study indicates that fashion interest encourages the consumers

natural tendencies to make compulsive clothing purchases. High compulsive clothing

shoppers were more likely to acquire clothing than discard it. As consumers acquire

more clothing items without discarding them, the probability of hoarding these items

increases.

Discussion

The results of this study suggest increased social media usage combined with

fashion interest and fast fashion involvement can also increase compulsive clothing

shopping tendencies. Findings from this study indicate that those with increased

compulsive clothing tendencies are also more likely to hoard clothes. Evidence shows

that as consumers have accepted and participated in social media, they consequently

are exposed to the latest fashions in real time making them more susceptible to

endorsements and advertisements, particularly those from fashion blogs. Overall, social

media is a major driving force behind overconsumption habits among consumers.

The impact of social media on fashion interest and compulsive buying.

Social media tested positively with fashion interest, with fashion blogs having the

highest correlation. As social media helps to feed the fashion interest of the consumer,

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it provides a very useful marketing tool for promoting fashion products. Partly due to the

help of the internet, fashion is everywhere, and fashion blogs allow consumers a space

for unlimited self-expression (Mohr, 2013). By monitoring brand related conversations

through social media networks, marketers can more effectively identify influential

individuals and fashion leaders within an online community (Kumar & Mirchandani,

2013). Brands are now recognizing the role of fashion bloggers’ as the influencers and

trendsetters of fashion (Mohr, 2013). These influencers can promote products through

word of mouth in social media conversions potentially increasing sales (Kumar &

Mirchandani, 2013). Ultimately, the fashion blogger acts as a way of connecting the

brand with the target market.

Social media was also positively correlated with the tendency to compulsively

buy clothing. The consumer no longer has to seek out the latest fashions, instead the

consumer is continually exposed through varying social media networks. As consumers

are using their smart phones for many daily tasks, they are more easily accessible to

marketers who are aggressively targeting them through all means of technology. Most

social media forms are also connected to cell phones through apps and email

notifications, keeping the consumer constantly updated. Frequent updates, such as

sales and coupons appeal to the compulsive shopper and encourage their natural

inclination to shop. Marketing communications should strive to create awareness,

encourage dialogue, and gain the consumer’s trust (Persaud & Azhar, 2012). This

dialogue between consumer and brand is possible through social media. As marketers

establish online relationships with the consumer, gaining their loyalty and influencing

their purchasing decisions (Persaud & Azhar, 2012).

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Social media enhances the fashion market by providing shoppers with an

environment that makes browsing the latest fashions accessible with the click of a

button. Selling via Facebook and Instagram comments has also made online shopping

even easier (“Are You Missing,” 2014). Now the consumer can comment “sold” beneath

the image of the item for sale and complete the transaction without leaving the social

network site (Are You Missing,” 2014). As the digital shopping experience continues to

become faster and more convenient, this only intensifies compulsive buying among

shoppers.

The impact of fashion interest on fast-fashion involvement and compulsive

clothing buying.

Over the past 20 years, the dynamics of the fashion industry have significantly

evolved with fast fashion’s speed to market and design as the leading forces of

competitiveness (Bhardwaj & Fairhurst, 2010). Since fast fashion has played such a

major role in the evolution of the fashion industry, it is not surprising that fashion interest

and fast fashion involvement would be positively correlated. Fashion interest and fast

fashion involvement were so strongly correlated, that they may be measuring the same

construct. A review of the literature indicates a general use of one or the other of the

concepts, but not both. It may warrant further study to determine whether these two

scales are really psychologically different in the consumer behavior context.

Fashion interest and fast fashion involvement were both positively correlated

with compulsive clothing buying. As the cycles of fashion are quickly changing,

consumers with high interest in fashion feel pressure to keep up with the current trends.

Social media sites allow both brands and consumers to upload and share images of the

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latest fashions, creating idealized facades of products. As social media users are

continually exposed to these images, they in turn become envious of what they do not

have, ultimately feeling compelled to make purchases. The terms lifestyle envy and

Instagram envy have been coined referring to this phenomenon (Anderson, 2014). Fast

fashion makes it affordable for the consumer to purchase the latest trends to maintain

their social status. Past research has also shown that conformity motivation among

consumers influences participation of social e-shopping on social networking sites

(Kang & Johnson, 2013). Consumers who are concerned with group norms regarding

which products and brands to buy were likely to seek the opinions of others through

social networks sites (Kang & Johnson, 2013). The Instagram envy effect accompanied

by conformity motivations could be further propelling the speed at which fast fashion

trends spread through social networks. Further as these viral images are quickly

spreading, an envious consumer is likely to make more compulsive clothing purchases.

The impact of compulsive clothing buying tendencies on wardrobe clutter

and clothing acquisition.

Of the attributes measuring hoarding tendencies (wardrobe clutter

disorganization, clothing acquisition, and reluctance to discard clothing), clothing

acquisition was the most strongly correlated to compulsive clothing buying. American

consumerism emphasizes that having more is better, encouraging the trend of quantity

over quality. Fast fashion consumers are making purchases based on their ability to

buy in bulk, acquiring the largest amount of clothing for the least amount of money

(Watson & Yan, 2013). According to Watson and Yan (2013), fast fashion consumers

have impulse buying tendencies. While impulsive purchases can sometimes lead to

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buyers remorse, fast fashion consumers avoid these feelings of guilt due to the

affordability of the products (Watson & Yan, 2013). Thus, the consumer’s purchases

are seemingly without repercussions encouraging their impulse buying tendencies.

Additionally, fast fashion consumers experienced instant satisfaction versus continued

satisfaction with their purchases (Watson & Yan, 2013). Consumers admitted to

dissatisfaction as merchandise either went out of style or began to fall apart (Watson &

Yan, 2013). However, as clothes quickly fall apart and are discarded, lack of buyers

guilt keeps the consumers motivated to revisit the fast fashion store to repeat the buying

cycle, acquiring additional clothes. Fast fashion creates a shopping experience that

encourages compulsive and overconsumption shopping tendencies.

As previously mentioned social media envy could also be contributing to this

desire to consume more. Consumers see what others have, or what they are perceived

to have, and then they want it too. Consumers have always compared themselves to

peers, however, until now, it has not been done on such an extreme scale (Anderson,

2014). As consumers compare themselves to thousands of social media users, the

lines between peers and celebrities are blurred (Anderson, 2014).

Contributions to Research

This research suggests that social media is an important variable influencing the

consumption behavior of shoppers. As consumers become more easily accessible

through their social media involvement, they are more vulnerable to target marketing.

Social media is also assisting the speed at which fast fashion is exchanged amongst

online consumers, encouraging the speed at which it is adopted. Additionally,

consumers should be cautioned of their impressionable nature causing them to be more

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susceptible to social media envy. As a result, consumers feel compelled to purchase

items based on what is currently trending in fashion through endless images they are

presented with on social media sites. Psychologist may also be interested to find that

fast fashion and social media are major contributors to hoarding. As the convenience of

the digital age continues to improve, it may become more difficult for individuals with

hoarding tendencies to recover from their addictive behavior. Psychologists and clients

should consider these correlations when performing and undergoing treatment.

Recommendations

Overall, this study was successful in supporting the idea that social media and

fashion interest play major roles in the consumers’ potential to compulsively shop and

hoard clothing. Consumers should be cautioned as marketers are using social media

participation as a means of exploitation. Additionally, since fashion interest and fast

fashion involvement were so strongly correlated, it is likely they are measuring the same

construct. Further research should examine whether they are psychologically different.

Due to its affordability, fast fashion involvement should further be investigated for

potential correlations with consumer income.

This research only explores Compulsive Clothing Buying and Clothing Hoarding

on the surface level, but establishes a research foundation that could be further

investigated on a more psychological and emotional level.

Limitations and Further Research

There are a few limitations that may have inhibited this study. Since an online

survey was used to investigate social media participation this may limit the

generalizability of the study. It is likely that someone who participates in online surveys

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is also more likely to spend more time online in general and therefore may have higher

social media participation. Also, a larger sample size may have been more beneficial

giving a more accurate representation of the female population. The sample was also

skewed a little older than expected, with only 17.7% of the respondents in the younger

female cohort (ages 21-29).

This study could be extended to more thoroughly investigate a single social

media site and its relationship with the compulsive consumer. Pinterest, for example,

provides multiple sections of interests other than fashion for the “pinner” to browse

including: DIY, Art, Design, Hair & Beauty, Health & Fitness, etc. Which sections are

consumers spending the most time browsing, and how many pins actually result in a

purchase? If pinners are compulsively pinning without ever referencing pins later, could

they essentially be considered virtual hoarders? If pins are not referred to after pinning,

then what purpose does the act of pinning serve the pinner? Have pins merely become

a form of virtual window shopping, and only serve as inspiration, representing a fantasy

life the pinner cannot actually obtain? Mull and Lee (2014) suggest that the

engagement in Pinterest may provide entertainment or diversion from daily routines for

the user. Does pinning serve as an escape or form of relief from stress and anxiety

much like compulsive shopping and hoarding? Though some research has investigated

the motivational dimensions of using Pinterest, no studies were located that investigated

a purchasing outcome. No further research was located that investigated the

physiological and compulsive nature behind the act of pinning.

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Appendix A

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Appendix B Hello,

For my master’s thesis in the College of Merchandising, Hospitality & Tourism, I am conducting a survey on Consumer’ compulsive buying of clothing and potential hoarding. This research will help understand connections between clothing acquisition and post-consumption behavior. We are requesting that you participate in the study by answering a series of questions regarding your tendencies.

Your participation in this study is voluntary and all responses will be kept confidential.

Please answer all of the survey questions. Incomplete surveys cannot be included in final data analysis. This survey will take approximately 20 minutes of your time.

To participate, simply click the “next page” button below. You may choose not to answer any question and you may stop participating at any time. After completing the survey, please remember to click “finish.” By completing the survey, you give your consent to participate in the research.

Your demographic information will only be used to help the analysts and will be published in an aggregated form.

There are no foreseeable risks involved in this study.

Your participation in the study is voluntary.

If you have any questions, please contact me, Kathleen Higgins (Graduate student Investigator, Department of Merchandising and Digital Retailing, University of North Texas, [email protected].

Thank you very much for your time.

Sincerely,

Kathleen Higgins, Graduate student investigator, Department of Merchandising and Digital Retailing, University of North Texas [email protected]

Tammy Kinley, Ph.D., Chair Department of Merchandising and Digital Retailing, University of North Texas [email protected], 940-565-4842

We would appreciate your participation.

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The following question will help measure your social media use.

Please indicate how often you use the following social networks:

Never Rarely Sometimes Often Several times per

day 1. Facebook 1 2 3 4 5

2. Pinterest 1 2 3 4 5

3. Fashion Blogs 1 2 3 4 5

4. Twitter 1 2 3 4 5

5. Instagram 1 2 3 4 5

The following 5 questions will help measure your fashion interest.

Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following.

Strongly Disagree

Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

1. Because of my active life style,I need a wide variety of clothes.

1 2 3 4 5

2. I always buy at least one outfitof the latest fashion.

1 2 3 4 5

3. I never read fashionmagazines or pay attention to fashion trend.

1 2 3 4 5

4. I spend a lot of money onclothes and accessories

1 2 3 4 5

5. I spend a lot of time onfashion-related activities.

1 2 3 4 5

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The following 6 questions will help measure your involvement in fast fashion specifically. Fast fashion refers to clothing that is produced in a compressed lead time, providing consumers with the latest emerging trends quickly and rapidly at a relatively low cost. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following. Strongly

Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly

Agree

1. I frequently search for more information about fast fashion brands via magazine or internet.

1 2 3 4 5

2. I am interested in those products in fast fashion brands.

1 2 3 4 5

3. It is not a big deal, if I make a wrong purchase decision from fast fashion brands. For examples, wrong purchase decision of buying a wrong size.

1 2 3 4 5

4. I need a short decision time when I buy a fast fashion brand’s product.

1 2 3 4 5

5. I think fast fashion brand ’ s product can give me a pleasant feeling.

1 2 3 4 5

6. I think fast fashion brands give a special meaning to their product.

1 2 3 4 5

The following 13 questions will measure your tendency to compulsively buy. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following.

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Strongly Disagree

Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

1. I feel driven to shop and spend, even when I don’t have the time or the money on clothing.

1 2 3 4 5

2. I get little or no pleasure from shopping for clothing.

1 2 3 4 5

3. I hate to go shopping for clothing.

1 2 3 4 5

4. I go on clothing buying binges.

1 2 3 4 5

5. I feel “high” when I go on a clothing buying spree.

1 2 3 4 5

6. I buy clothing even when I don’t need any.

1 2 3 4 5

7. I go on a clothing buying binge when I’m upset, disappointed, depressed, or angry.

1 2 3 4 5

8. I worry about spending habits but still go out and shop and spend money on clothing.

1 2 3 4 5

9. I feel anxious after I go on a clothing buying binge.

1 2 3 4 5

10. I buy clothes even though I cannot afford them

1 2 3 4 5

11. I feel guilty or ashamed after I go on a buying binge.

1 2 3 4 5

12. I buy clothing I don’t need or won’t use

1 2 3 4 5

13. I sometimes feel compelled to go shopping for clothing.

1 2 3 4 5

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The following questions address how you store clothing.

None A

little A

moderate amount

Most/Much

Almost all/

Complete

1.How much of the living area in your home is cluttered with clothing? (Consider the amount of clutter in your kitchen, living room, dining room, hallways,bedrooms, bathrooms, or other rooms).

1 2 3 4 5

2.How much of your home does clothing clutter prevent you from using?

1 2 3 4 5

3.How much of your home is difficult to walk through because of clothing clutter?

1 2 3 4 5

4.To what extent do you have so many clothes that your room(s) are cluttered?

1 2 3 4 5

5.How much does clothing clutter in your home interfere with your social, work or everyday functioning?Think about things that you don’t do because of clothing clutter.

1 2 3 4 5

6.To what extent does clothing clutter in your home cause you distress?

1 2 3 4 5

7.To what extent do you feel unable to control the clothing clutter in your home?

1 2 3 4 5

8.How frequently does clothing clutter in your home prevent you from inviting people to visit?

1 2 3 4 5

9.To what extent does the clothing clutter in your home prevent you from using parts of your home for their intended purpose? For example, cooking, using furniture, washing dishes, cleaning, etc.

1 2 3 4 5

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The following questions will help measure your level of difficulty when discarding clothing. None A

little A

moderate amount

Most/Much

Almost all/

Complete 1.How much control do you have over your urges to save clothing?

1 2 3 4 5

2.To what extent do you have difficulty throwing clothing things away?

1 2 3 4 5

3.How distressing do you find the task of throwing clothes away?

1 2 3 4 5

4.How strong is your urge to save clothes you know you may never use?

1 2 3 4 5

5.How often do you avoid trying to discard clothes because it is too stressful or time consuming?

1 2 3 4 5

6.How often do you decide to keep clothes you do not need and have little space for?

1 2 3 4 5

7.How often are you unable to discard a garment you would like to get rid of?

1 2 3 4 5

8. How much of your clothing is kept due to weight fluctuation?

1 2 3 4 5

The following questions will help measure your level of difficulty when acquiring clothing.

None A

little A

moderate amount

Most/Much

Almost all/

Complete

1.How much control do you have over your urges to acquire clothing?

1 2 3 4 5

2. How distressed or uncomfortable would you feel if you could not acquire clothing you wanted?

1 2 3 4 5

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3. How strong is your urge to buy or acquire free clothing for which you have no immediate use?

1 2 3 4 5

4. How upset or distressed do you feel about your acquiring clothing habits?

1 2 3 4 5

5. To what extent has your saving or compulsive clothing buying resulted in financial difficulties for you?

1 2 3 4 5

6. How often do you feel compelled to acquire clothing you see? e.g., when shopping or offered free things?

1 2 3 4 5

7. How often do you actually buy (or acquire for free) clothing for which you have no immediate use or need?

1 2 3 4 5

Please choose the image that best reflects your wardrobe. 1

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

We request general demographic information to help with our analysis, but your information will NOT be used to identify you. 1. What is your gender?

a. Male b. Female

2. What year were you born? _______ 3. What is your Marital Status?

a. Married b. Single c. Other

4. What is the highest level of education you completed? a. Elementary/middle school b. Some high school c. High school graduate d. Some college, no degree e. Associate/technical degree, f. Bachelor's degree g. Graduate/professional degree 5. What is your annual income range? a. Less than $10,000 b. $10,000 to $19,999 c. $20,000 to $29,999 d. $30,000 to $39,999 e. $40,000 to $49,999 f. $50,000 to $59,999

g. $60,000 to $69,999 h. $70,000 to $99,999 i. $100,000 to $149,999 j. $150,000 to $199,999 k. $200,000 or more

Thank you for participating!

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