The effect of individual differences on adolescents' impulsive buying behavior.

Lin, Chien-Huang ; Chuang, Shin-Chieh

INTRODUCTION

Impulsive buying behavior is a widely recognized phenomenon. It accounts for up to 80% of all purchases in certain product categories (Abrahams, 1997; Smith, 1996). It has been suggested that more purchases result from impulse than from planning (Sfiligoj, 1996). A 1997 study estimated that 4.2 billion annual sales volume was generated by impulse purchases of such items as candy and magazines (Hogelonsky, 1998). Retailers try to increase the number of impulse purchases through product displays and package design (Jones et al., 2003). In addition, contemporary marketing innovations, for example, 24-hour stores and television and Internet shopping, make impulse buying even easier (Kacen & Lee, 2002). Further, the growth of e-commerce and the increasing consumer orientation of many societies offer greater opportunities for impulse purchases.

Most of the research on impulse buying has focused on adults (e.g., Beatty & Ferrell, 1998) or college students (Rook & Fisher, 1995; Rook & Gardner, 1993). A few studies have focused on adolescents in spite of the fact that marketers have targeted adolescents in the belief that younger people have more disposable income (Simpson et al., 1998). Further, they are less likely to seek more information, comparison shop, or postpone purchases (Jones et al., 2003). Most young adolescents tend to be impulsive--doing and saying things on the spur of the moment without taking into account the risk involved (Kahn et al., 2002). In a time of dramatic psychological and physical change, there may be a wide range of impulsiveness based on age and emotional intelligence. Therefore, investigation of impulsive buying among adolescents with a range of personality traits would be a valuable addition to the literature.

Impulsive Buying Behavior

Impulsive buying behavior is seen as a sudden, spontaneous act which precludes thoughtful, consideration of all available information and choice alternatives (Bayley & Nancorrow, 1998; Rook 1987; Thompson, Locander, & Pollio, 1990; Weinberg & Gottwald, 1982). It is "an unplanned purchase" characterized by (1) "relatively rapid decision-making, and (2) a subjective bias in favor of immediate possession" (Rook & Gardner, 1993, p. 3). It is described as more arousing, unintended, less deliberate, and more irresistible than is planned buying behavior. Researchers agree that impulsive buying occurs when an individual makes an unintended, unreflective, and immediate purchase (Rook, 1987; Rook & Fisher, 1995; Rook & Hoch, 1985). Impulsive buyers are likely to be unreflective in their thinking, to be emotionally attracted to the object, and to desire immediate gratification (Hoch & Loewenstein, 1991; Thompson et al., 1990).

Researchers have found that many factors influence impulsive buying: the consumer's mood (Donovan, Rossiter, Marcooly, & Nesdale, 1994; Rook, 1987; Rook & Gardner, 1993; Weinberg & Gottwald, 1982), normative evaluation of the appropriateness of engaging in impulse buying (Rook & Fisher, 1995), self-identity (Dittmar et al., 1995), age, pocket money available, gender (e.g., Bellenger, Robertson & Hirschman, 1978; Wood, 1998), and cultural influences (Kacen & Lee, 2002).

With regard to age, based on a national sample of adults in the United States, Wood (1998) found an inverse relationship between age and impulse buying. Impulse buying increases slightly between the ages of 18 and 39 and subsequently declines. This finding is consistent with that of Bellenger et al. (1978) who found that shoppers under 35 were more prone to impulse buying than were those over 35. Since impulsiveness is linked to emotional arousal, older adults are more apt to control their emotional expression than are younger adults (Lawton, Kleban, Rajogopal, & Dean, 1992; McConatha et al., 1994). This would be reflected in older consumers' control of impulsive buying tendencies. With emotions obviously determining impulse purchasing (Bayley & Nancorrow, 1998), the present study posits that personality traits such as Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Impulse Buying Tendency (IBT) will tend to yield different impulsive buying behavior.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to adaptively perceive, understand, regulate, and harness emotions in the self and others (e.g., Caruso, Mayer, & Salovey, 2002; Salovey & Mayer, 1990; Schutte, Malouff, Hall, Haggerty, Cooper, Golden, & Dornheim, 1998). Most research asserts that a high level of emotional intelligence contributes to success in education, work, and relationships (e.g., Goleman, 1995; Salovey & Mayer, 1990; Tomer, 2003). It also leads to greater emotional well being (Goleman, 1995; Saarni, 1999; Salovery & Mayer, 1990; Salovey, Mayer, Goldman, Turvey, & Palfai, 1995; Schutte, Malouff, Simunek, McKenley, & Hollander, 2002).

Those who understand and regulate their emotions generally maintain a better outlook on life and enjoy better emotional health. Some research indicates that high emotional intelligence is associated with less depression (Martinez-Pons, 1997; Schutte et al., 1998) and greater optimism (Schutte et al., 1998). The present study posits that adolescents with high emotional intelligence are less influenced by emotion, and would use a strategy based on the facts. Thus, high-EI adolescents would be less likely to yield to impulse purchasing than would low-EI adolescents.

In addition to emotional intelligence, Impulse Buying Tendency (IBT) in adolescents is worth considerating. IBT has been viewed as a sub-trait of the general impulsivity construct, which Gerbing et al. (1987, p. 357) defined as "a tendency to respond quickly to a given stimulus, without deliberation and evaluation of consequences." According to this definition, high-IBT adolescents are more likely to be tempted to buy impulsively and to act more frequently on those urges, compared to low-IBT adolescents.

METHOD

The survey methodology was used to measure the influence of personal trait characteristics on adolescents' impulsive buying behavior. Using a convenient sampling method in a regional shopping mall, approximately 650 adolescents, ranging from 15 to 19 years of age, were selected to participate. There were 574 subjects in the final sample pool.

A 48-item questionnaire consisting of three separate sections was administered. The first section, which collected demographic information, included five items. The second section contained nine items to measure the degree of impulsive buying tendency based on the research of Rook and Fisher (1995). Cronbach's alpha coefficient of impulsive buying tendency in this study reached 0.89, a satisfactory level of reliability.

A single measure of impulsive buying behavior was used. The item, "How often do you buy things on impulse?" was measured on a five-point Likert scale from 1 (almost every day) to 7 (almost never). This scale was developed by Kacen and Lee (2002).

The third section, Emotional Intelligence Scale, which includes a 33-item self-report scale developed by Schutte et al. (2002), assesses the extent to which respondents identify, understand, harness, and regulate their emotions and the emotions of others. Sample items include "I can tell how other people are feeling by listening to the tone of their voice," "I know why my emotions change," "When I feel a change in emotions, I tend to come up with new ideas," "I help other people feel better when they are down." Respondents rate themselves on each item from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of impulsive buying tendency in this study reached 0.77, a satisfactory level of reliability.

RESULTS

All 650 adolescents were asked to complete the questionnaire. Cleaning of the data and eliminating incomplete questionnaires resulted in a final sample of 574. Demographic information is presented in Table 1; 48% were male and 52% were female. Regarding the amount of pocket money that respondents had each week, 36% had less than $30, 30% had $31-50, 20% had $51-70, and 14% had more than $71. In addition, 54% indicated that their parents were their main sources of pocket money.

The effect of emotional intelligence on adolescents' impulsive buying behavior was tested by t-test, reported in Table 2. Analysis revealed a significant effect of emotional intelligence on impulsive buying behavior (t = 5.8, p < 0.0001). Individuals who scored low on emotional intelligence (M = 4.45) scored significantly higher on impulsive buying tendency than those who scored high on emotional intelligence (M = 3.81).

IBT was also examined by t-test, and the results are shown in Table 3. Analysis indicated a significant difference between IBT and impulsive buying behavior (t = 6.12, p < 0.0001). Individuals who scored high on impulsive buying tendency (M = 4.4) scored significantly higher on impulsive buying behavior than those who scored low on impulsive buying tendency (M = 3.74), indicating that high-IBT adolescents exhibited more impulsive buying behavior than did low-IBT adolescents.

DISCUSSION

Results of our investigation show a stronger relationship between emotional intelligence and impulsive buying behavior and suggest that people with a high EI manifest significantly lower impulsive buying behavior than do those with a low EI. High emotional intelligence should lead to greater emotional well-being (Goleman, 1995; Saarni, 1996; Salovery & Mayer, 1990; Salovey, Mayer, Goldman, Turvey, & Palfai, 1995; Schutte, Malouff, Simunek, McKenley, & Hollander, 2002). Those who understand and regulate their emotions should be able to maintain a better outlook on life and enjoy better emotional health. They are also likely to control their feelings, not be influenced by emotion, and use strategies based on the facts. Consequently they will be less likely to yield to impulse buying behavior, compared to low-EI adolescents.

The results also showed a strong relationship between a personality trait of buying impulsiveness and impulsive buying behavior. This finding is consistent among both adults and adolescents (Beatty & Ferrell, 1998; Rock & Fisher, 1995). It is possible that enjoyment of shopping influences one's tendency to buy impulsively. By the same token, one's tendency to engage in impulse buying tends to produce more browsing and directly affects the strength of the urge to make an impulse purchase.

Adolescents' impulsive buying is particularly important because marketing strategies target them. Shopping is a daily routine for many adolescents. Teachers and parents should be aware of this and help adolescents spend their money wisely.

This study focused on exploring the relationship between personal characteristics and impulsive buying behavior. The results demonstrated that high-EI adolescents were more likely to yield to impulsive buying behavior than were low-EI adolescents. The emotional factor (e.g., emotional arousal) may be an important mediating factor in determining the relationship between EI and impulsive buying behavior.

REFERENCES

Abrahams, B. (1997). It's all in the mind. Marketing, 27, 31-33.

Bayley, G., & Nancarrow, C. (1998). Impulsive purchasing: A qualitative exploration of the phenomenon. Qualitative Market Research, 1, 99-114.

Beatty, S. E., & Ferrel, M. E. (1998). Impulsive buying: Modeling its precursors. Journal of Retailing, 74(2), 169-191.

Bellenger, D. N., Robertson, D. H., & Hirschman, E. C. (1978). Impulse buying varies by product. Journal of Advertising Research, 18(1), 15-18.

Caruso, D. R., Mayer, J. D., & Salovey, P. (2002). Relation of an ability measure of emotional intelligence to personality. Journal of Personality Assessment, 79, 306-320.

Dittmar, H., Beattie, J., & Friese, S. (1995). Gender identity and material symbols: Objects and decision considerations in impulse purchase. Journal of Economic Psychology, 16(3), 491-511.

Donovan, R. J., Rossiter, J. R., Marcoolyn, G., & Nesdale, A. (1994). Store atmosphere and purchasing behavior. Journal of Retailing, 70, 283-294.

Gerbing, D. W., Ahadi, S. A.,. & Patton. (1987). Toward a conceptualization of impulsivity: Components across the behavioral and self-report domains, Multivariate Behavioral Research, 22, 357-379.

Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence. New York: Bantam.

Hoch, S. J., & Loewenstein, G. F. (1991). Time-inconsistent preferences and consumer self control. Journal of Consumer Research, 17(4), 492-507.

Jones, M. A., Reynolds, K. E., Weun, S., & Beatty, S. E. (2003). The product-specific nature of impulse buying tendency. Journal of Business Research, 56(7), 505-511.

Kacen, J. J., & Lee, J. A. (2002). The influence of culture on consumer impulsive buying behavior. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 12(2), 163-176.

Kahn, J. A., Kaplowitz, R. A., Goodman, E., & Emans, J. S. (2002). The association betweren impulsiveness and sexual risk behaviors in adolecent and young adult women. Adolescent Health Brief, 30(4), 229-232.

Lawton, M. P., Kleban, M. H., Rajagopal, D., & Dean, J. (1992). Dimensions of affective experience in three age groups. Psychology and Aging, 7, 171-184.

Martinez-Pons, M. (1997). The relation of emotional intelligence with selected areas of personal functioning. Imagination, Cognition, and Personality, 17, 3-13.

McConatha, J. T., Lightner, E., & Deaner, S. L. (1994). Culture, age, and gender as variables in the expression of emotions. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 9, 481-488.

Mogelonsky, M. (1998). Keep candy in the aisles. American Demographics, 20, 32.

Rook, D. W. (1987). The buying impulse. Journal of Consumer Research, 14(2), 189-199.

Rook, D. W., & Fisher, R. J. (1995). Normative influences on impulsive buying behavior. Journal of Consumer Research, 22(3), 305-313.

Rook, D. W., & Gardner, M. (1993). In the mood: Impulse buying's affective antecedents. Research in consumer research (Vol. 6, pp. 1-28). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.

Rook, D. W., & Hoch, S. J. (1985). Consuming impulses. In M. Holbrook & E. Hirschman (Eds.), Advances in consumer research (Vol. 12, pp. 23-27). Provo, UT: Association for Consumer Research.

Saarni, C. (1999). The development of emotional competence. New York: Guilford Press.

Salovey, P., & Mayer, J. D. (1990). Emotional intelligence. Imagination, Cognition, and Personality, 9, 185-211.

Salovey, P., Mayer, J. D., Goldman, S. L., Turvey, C., & Palfai, T. P. (1995). Emotional attention, clarity, and repair: Exploring emotional intelligence using the Meta-Mood Scale. In J. W. Pennebaker (Ed.), Emotion, disclosure, and health (pp. 125-154). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Schutte, N. S., Malouff, J. M., Simunek, M., McKenly, J. M., & Hollander, S. (2002). Characteristic emotional intelligence and emotional well-being. Cognition and Emotion, 16, 769-785.

Schuute, N. S., Malouff, J. M., Hall, L. F., Haggerty, D. J., Cooper, J. T., Golden, C. J., & Dornheim, L. (1998). Development and validation of a measure of emotional intelligence. Personality and Individual Differences, 25, 167-177.

Sfiligoj, E. (1996). Helping the little guy to merchandise. Periscope, June 30, 20.

Simpson, L., Douglas, S., & Schimmel, J. (1998). Tween consumers: Catalog clothing purchase behavior. Adolescence, 33(131); 637-644.

Smith, D. (1996). The joy of candy. National Petroleum News Supplement, $2.

Thompson, C. J., Locander, W. B., & Pollio, H. R. (1990). The lived meaning of free choice: An existential-phenomenological description of everyday consumer experiences of contemporary married women. Journal of Consumer Research, 17(3), 346-361.

Tomer, J. F. (2003). Personal capital and emotional intelligence: An increasingly important intangible source of economic growth. Eastern Economic Journal, 29, 453-470.

Weinberg, P., & Gottwald, W. (1982). Impulsive consumer buying as a result of emotion. Journal of Business Research, 10, 43-57.

Wood, M. (1998). Socio-economic status, delay of gratification, and impulse buying. Journal of Economic Psychology, 19(3), 295-320.

Chien Huang Lin, National Central University, Taiwan.

Reprint requests should be addressed to Shin-Chieh Chuang, Department of Business Administration, Chao-yang University of Technology, 168 Gifeng E. Rd., Wufeng, Taichung County, Taiwan; e-mail: chuang.teacheramsa.h.'net.net Table 1 Demographics of the Sample Characteristic Frequency Percentage Gender Male 276 48 Female 298 52 Age 15 90 16 16 111 19 17 140 24 18 138 24 19 95 17 Pocket money (each week) <$30 205 36 $31-50 175 30 $51-70 115 20 >$71 79 14 Sources of family income Father 149 26 Mother 80 14 Both 308 54 Others 37 6 Table 2 Influence of Emotional Intelligence on Impulsive Buying Behavior High El (n = 252) Low El (n = 322) M (SD) M (SD) t Impulsive buying behavior 3.81 (1.69) 4.45 (1.19) 5.8 *** Table 3 Influence of Impulsive Buying Tendency on Impulsive Buying Behavior High IBT (n = 358) Low IBT (n = 216) M (SD) M (SD) t Impulsive buying behavior 4.4 (1.13) 3.74 (1.45) 6.12 ***