Are We Truly Different in Personal Values and Compulsive Buying Proclivity? Cross-Cultural Contrasts Between the United States and East-Central Europe

Abstract

The current study explores the intersection of personal values theory, consumer culture, and compulsive buying behavior theories. By examining the importance of different values types, we aim to understand the extent to which specific values influence individuals' tendency to either embrace or resist maladaptive behaviors like compulsive buying. This study postulated that one's values can both contribute to the development of compulsive buying tendencies and act as a protective factor. Importantly, we explored this values-compulsive relationship within the contrasting consumer cultures of the United States characterized by individualism, and Poland, which predominantly exhibits collectivistic trends. In this work, we utilized two distinct samples/studies of American (n = 367) and Polish (n = 370) consumers and employed two key measurement tools: the Portrait Values Questionnaire and the Richmond Compulsive Buying Scale. The research findings revealed that values such as self-direction, stimulation, hedonism, power, and achievement tend to promote compulsive buying tendencies irrespective of the cultural context. However, the prevalence of compulsive buying is more pronounced among American consumers compared to their Polish counterparts. Furthermore, the impact of hedonism and achievement on compulsive buying was twice as large in the United States as it was in Poland. On the other hand, values such as tradition, security, conformity, benevolence, and universalism appeared to help individuals in preventing or mitigating compulsive buying behavior. This study underscores the critical role of personal values, cultural variations, and their impact on compulsive buying tendencies among consumers. It highlights the presence of specific personal values that can either inhibit or facilitate the development of compulsive buying behaviors.