Seeking structure in collections: Desire for control motivates engagement in collecting
Cao, Brucks and Reimann report six laboratory and field studies in which the desire for control motivated consumers to acquire items that complete an existing collection. Consumers who want control seek structure, and collections provide it because their related items form a whole set. The effect weakened when structure-seeking was blocked or when the collection was far from complete. The authors discuss implications for consumer well-being, collectible product design and marketing, and policy for collectibles markets.
Cao, Brucks and Reimann report six laboratory and field studies in which the desire for control motivated consumers to acquire items that complete an existing collection. Consumers who want control seek structure, and collections provide it because their related items form a whole set. The effect weakened when structure-seeking was blocked or when the collection was far from complete. The authors discuss implications for consumer well-being, collectible product design and marketing, and policy for collectibles markets.
Written from the abstract via Crossref and institutional record, 2026-11-03; full text not read.
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Cao, C. C., Brucks, M., & Reimann, M. (2025). Seeking structure in collections: Desire for control motivates engagement in collecting. Journal of Consumer Research, 52(3), 480-501. doi:10.1093/jcr/ucae071 https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucae071