The benefits of retail therapy: Making purchase decisions reduces residual sadness
Rick, Pereira and Burson reported three experiments on whether shopping choices reduce lingering sadness. Making shopping choices alleviated sadness when the choices were hypothetical and when they were real. The findings supported the authors' proposal that choosing restores a sense of personal control, which reduces sadness.
Rick, Pereira and Burson reported three experiments on whether shopping choices reduce lingering sadness. Making shopping choices alleviated sadness when the choices were hypothetical and when they were real. The findings supported the authors' proposal that choosing restores a sense of personal control, which reduces sadness.
Written from the abstract via University of Michigan repository record, 2026-11-03; full text not read.
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Rick, S. I., Pereira, B., & Burson, K. A. (2014). The benefits of retail therapy: Making purchase decisions reduces residual sadness. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 24(3), 373-380. doi:10.1016/j.jcps.2013.12.004 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcps.2013.12.004