Relationship between self-control, impulsivity, reinforcement sensitivity, shopping characteristics and problematic shopping among female and male emerging adults

problematic shopping impulsivity self-control reinforcement sensitivity consumer behavior Problematic shopping, also known as compulsive buying or shopping addiction in its most extreme form, is a growing concern in modern consumer behavior. The present study examined the relationships between self-control, impulsivity, reinforcement sensitivity, shopping characteristics, and problematic shopping among emerging adult females and males. A sample comprising 1,075 Polish participants (835 females, 240 males), aged 18-30 years, was surveyed. The key variables (i.e., problematic shopping, impulsivity, self-control, and reinforcement sensitivity) were assessed with validated psychometric instruments. Path models were applied to evaluate the relationships between variables and gender differences. Problematic shopping was positively associated with motor and attentional impulsivity among females, while goal maintenance was negatively associated with problematic shopping among males. Among females, paying attention to product brands and credit/loan use was significantly associated with problematic shopping, while there was a negative association with paying attention to price. In both groups, problematic shopping was associated with increased online and offline shopping time. Results also indicated that reinforcement sensitivity (behavioral activation system-reward interest) was negatively associated with problematic shopping among females. The results suggested that motor impulsivity was more important in problematic shopping among females than males. The present study highlights the importance of impulsivity, self-control deficits, and shopping characteristics in developing problematic shopping behaviors. Gender differences indicate distinct mechanisms underlying problematic shopping tendencies. The findings contribute to a better understanding of problematic shopping and offer insights for targeted prevention and intervention strategies.