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Anxiety attachment and avoidance attachment: antecedents to self-gifting

Cindy B. Rippé (University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, Georgia, USA and Department of Marketing, Grenoble Ecole de Management, Grenoble, France)
Brent Smith (Emerson College, Boston, Massachusetts, USA)
Suri Weisfeld-Spolter (Department of Marketing, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA)

Journal of Consumer Marketing

ISSN: 0736-3761

Article publication date: 4 September 2019

Issue publication date: 18 October 2019

1151

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to enhance current understanding of motivations for self-gifting by suggesting that an individual’s attachment state from childhood upbringing impacts self-gifting behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was administered to 301 consumers living in the USA. Results were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling.

Findings

Findings reveal that insecure anxious and insecure avoidant individuals are inclined to self-gift for reward and as compensation for personal disappointment.

Practical implications

Retailers can leverage the results to customize promotional messages that reference self-gifting in relation to an individual’s attachment style. For example, messaging geared towards attachment avoidance might emphasize acceptance of one’s imperfect self and situation. Messaging with sensitivity to attachment anxiety might emphasize positive self-reflection and self-worth. Per the authors’ findings, a promotional message geared towards attachment style may better motivate self-gifting.

Originality/value

This research is the first known empirical research to specify a psychological antecedent of self-gifting behavior, which is an emerging area in the literature and retail environment. The findings explain nuances of self-gifting behavior by theoretically connecting insecure attachment style as a driver of self-gifting purchases for reward and personal disappointment.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr Carolina Werle for her valuable feedback on earlier versions of this research. The authors would also like to thank the anonymous reviewers whose insight helped to improve this work.

Citation

Rippé, C.B., Smith, B. and Weisfeld-Spolter, S. (2019), "Anxiety attachment and avoidance attachment: antecedents to self-gifting", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 36 No. 7, pp. 939-947. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCM-11-2018-2949

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

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