Learning approach to shopping addiction

• Initiation - the role of social learning
• Observe role models shopping and imitate their behaviour.
• Maintenance - the role of reinforcement
• Positive reinforcement - shopping become compulsive from its rewarding effects.
• Positive reinforcement - buying certain items may resort in approval from people on social media or in real life.
• Negative reinforcement - shopping removes something unpleasant which increases the persons likelihood of shopping.
• After shopping people may feel empty and therefore shop more in order to get rid of this feeling.
• Relapse - cue reactivity (classical conditioning) and negative reinforcement.
• When trying to quit shopping cues can make it hard, cues may include advertisements, sounds or sights.
• Cues are difficult to avoid as they are a part of everyday life.
• Negative feelings that stay even after quitting may only be relieved by shopping, which causes relapse.
• Celebrities play a role in encouraging people to shop, this is social learning theory as celebrities are strong role models.
• There is a link between excessive shopping and an imbalance of serotonin, is these levels are corrected shopping behaviours may improve.
• Online shopping involves having to wait longer which increases anticipation which is positive reinforcement as there are higher levels of pleasure.