The obsolescence of products : socio-psychological drives for consumption

Abstract

The study explores whether concern for self-image adjustment increases people's perception that their products of clothing and technology are obsolete, and whether this makes them more likely to consume newer products to replace their psychologically obsolete ones. The research yields insight into the consumeristic habits of an industrialised society. A quantitative questionnaire was used to compare respondents' scores on self-monitoring and interpersonal influence to their levels of consumption and experience of psychological obsolescence. Findings indicate that higher self-monitors consume more technological gadgets, but do not experience more psychological obsolescence, whereas those who are more normatively interpersonally influenced consume more clothing and experience psychological obsolescence more frequently. The implication is that social influence encourages consumption, as a way of blending in with others or standing out from the crowd, however other factors besides products' psychological obsolescence, such as sex, age and income also influence people's decision to purchase products. The study increases awareness of the socio-psychological motives behind our consumption habits and emphasises that consumption today is not only a practice of functional utility.