Seeing the Closet or the Clothes: How Thinking Abstractly Versus Concretely Shapes Disposition Decisions

ABSTRACT When consumers declutter, they face a difficult decision: whether to keep or get rid of products that they no longer use but that still function properly. Holding on to unused products for extended periods not only clutters living spaces but also undermines consumers' mental and financial well‐being. This study investigates thinking strategies that prompt consumers to dispose of used products instead of keeping them unnecessarily. Across a pilot study and four main studies, we demonstrate that engaging in abstract thinking (e.g., thinking about the categories an object belongs to) leads to a greater willingness to dispose of products than engaging in concrete thinking (e.g., thinking about the objects in each category). We also find that this effect occurs because thinking abstractly reduces the perceived uniqueness of a product relative to other products in the same category. Furthermore, we show that the effect of thinking strategy on disposition through perceived uniqueness is moderated by product self‐extension. We show convergent results by measuring and manipulating thinking strategies (abstract vs. concrete) and examining both the intended and actual disposal of used products. The findings offer insights that help consumers make decluttering and disposal decisions.