How time horizon perceptions and relationship deficits affect impulsive consumption

Abstract

The authors examine how different types of relationship deficits (emotional vs. social) and time horizon perceptions (expanded vs. limited) affect consumers' impulsive behaviors. Emotional deficits refer to a lack of intimate attachment, whereas social deficits refer to a lack of social connections. Some people view time as expanded, whereas others view it as limited. Essential relationship deficits are defined as a lack of social connections for people with an expanded time horizon and a lack of emotional attachments for people with a limited time horizon. Inessential relationship deficits, conversely, are a lack of emotional attachments for people with an expanded time horizon and a lack of social connections for people with a limited time horizon. The authors reveal that people who experience essential relationship deficits are more likely to engage in impulsive behaviors than those who experience inessential relationship deficits, because the experience of essential relationship deficits depletes them. The authors report the convergent results of impulsive behaviors, both in terms of engagement in unplanned behaviors and in terms of preference toward short-term gratification across self-reported intentions, as well as actual behaviors. © 2013, American Marketing Association.