Drivers of self-gifting motivations: insecure attachment, compulsive and impulsive buying and existential isolation

Abstract

Purpose Existing knowledge suggests that insecure attachments (i.e. anxious and avoidance) relate to self-gifting motivations. This study aims to expand and extend this body of knowledge by examining individuals’ self-regulation challenges vis-à-vis compulsive and impulsive buying tendencies on their self-gifting motivations. Informed by recent work on consumer loneliness and self-regulation, the authors further posit that existential isolation relates to self-gifting motivations. Design/methodology/approach The authors use partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to evaluate research hypotheses based on a sample of US respondents (n = 280). Findings The authors’ empirical findings from their PLS-SEM results provide support for their research hypotheses, indicating that individuals’ insecure attachments (anxious and avoidance) relate positively to their self-gifting motivations; compulsive buying relates positively to self-gifting motivations (except for celebration); impulsive buying relates positively to self-gifting motivations; existential isolation relates negatively to self-gifting motivations (except for personal disappointment); and compulsive buying and impulsive buying mediate the relationships between insecure attachments and self-gifting motivations. Originality/value In this empirical study, the authors expand existing knowledge of individuals’ self-gifting motivations and insecure attachments as mediated by consumers’ buying tendencies vis-à-vis compulsive and impulsive buying. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to establish the empirical relationship between individuals’ sense of existential isolation and their self-gifting motivations.