Post-Holiday Shock - Queendom.com Uncovers Victims of Obsessive Buying
Queendom releases results from its Shopaholic Test and sheds light on an often overlooked impulse control issue.
Montreal, Canada, January 16, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Queendom.com, one of the web's foremost sources of personality, career, and IQ assessments, unveils some interesting results of their popular Shopaholic Test. While buying a little more during the holidays is commonplace, some people are at particular risk of waking up to a debt-filled reality once the holiday joy has faded.
Wallets become a little slimmer after the holidays and most people become a little more disciplined about their money. It's normal to dish out extra monetary joy during the holidays, but for some, this isn't just a festive habit. People who suffer from "Oniomania", otherwise known as compulsive shopping/spending (rather than an addiction to onions, as the term may suggest), have a great deal of difficulty ignoring the lure of the bright red "25% Off" signs, the smell of new merchandise, and the rush that comes with swiping their credit card.
After collecting data from over 14,000 test-takers from all walks of life, Queendom's statistics reveal that in general, most people are fairly self-controlled buyers. While we do get a bit of a thrill from shopping, we are still reasonably good at managing our finances (average score of 61 on a scale from 0 to 100), we are not fashion "slaves" to an excessive degree (score of 52), and we don't have issues with loved ones regarding our shopping habits (score of 23). Although we do tend to turn to shopping as a form of therapy when upset (score of 62) and tend to get a bit of an adrenaline rush when we shop (score of 54), we are generally fairly disciplined shoppers. When Queendom compared men and women's results on the Shopaholic Test, however, some interesting information was revealed.
"According to our data, women are more likely to be shopaholics, although not to an extreme degree, and there are major individual differences," explains Dr. Jerabek, president of the company. Overall, women outscored men 48 to 36 on shopaholism. The study reveals that men tend to be better at managing their money (score of 67 for men vs. 59 for women), better able to control their shopping urges (score of 64 for men vs. 57 for women), and less likely to feel an obsessive need to get all the latest fashions, be it clothes or gadgets (score of 44 for men vs. 55 for women). The largest score difference was in regards to the Retail Therapy scale. Women are much more likely to use shopping as a form of catharsis and to use the endorphin boost to get through a tough week (score of 66 for women, 43 for men). "The problem is, this feeling of elation is short-lived. Once the adrenaline rush wears off, it's replaced by negative feelings like guilt," Dr. Jerabek points out.
While some experts may still raise an eyebrow when considering whether Shopaholism/Oniomania should be considered an official impulse control disorder, studies released by organizations like Queendom are telling. For instance:
- Those who own more than 3 credit cards are much more likely than those who own only 1 to have difficulties managing their money and to use shopping to feel better. They are also more likely to have trouble with impulse control.
- 5% have "borrowed" credit cards from friends or family members to shop, without the card owner knowing.
- 9% can't afford to pay for basic expenses (e.g. food, bills) because of their excessive shopping.
- 25% can't leave a store without buying something.
- 37% hide their purchases from loved ones.
- 52% shop when feeling angry or depressed.
Those who wish to take the Shopaholic test can go to http://www.queendom.com/tests/access_page/index.htm?idRegTest=726
About Queendom.com
Queendom.com is a subsidiary of PsychTests AIM Inc. Queendom.com is a site that creates an interactive venue for self-exploration with a healthy dose of fun. The site offers a full range of professional-quality, scientifically-validated psychological assessments that empower people to grow and reach their real potential through insightful feedback and detailed, custom-tailored analysis.
About PsychTests AIM Inc:
PsychTests AIM Inc. originally appeared on the internet scene in 1997. Since its inception, it has become a pre-eminent provider of psychological assessment products and services to human resource personnel, therapists, academics, researchers and a host of other professionals around the world. PsychTests AIM Inc. staff is comprised of a dedicated team of psychologists, test developers, researchers, statisticians, writers, and artificial intelligence experts. PsychTests AIM Inc. was founded and is led by Dr. Ilona Jerabek, a specialist in the field of psychometric assessments and Vrat Jerabek Ph. D., a researcher and authority in the field of artificial intelligence.
Contact:
Ilona Jerabek, Ph.D., President
PsychTests AIM Inc.
http://testyourself.psychtests.com/
1-888-855-6975
ilona@psychtests.com
###
Wallets become a little slimmer after the holidays and most people become a little more disciplined about their money. It's normal to dish out extra monetary joy during the holidays, but for some, this isn't just a festive habit. People who suffer from "Oniomania", otherwise known as compulsive shopping/spending (rather than an addiction to onions, as the term may suggest), have a great deal of difficulty ignoring the lure of the bright red "25% Off" signs, the smell of new merchandise, and the rush that comes with swiping their credit card.
After collecting data from over 14,000 test-takers from all walks of life, Queendom's statistics reveal that in general, most people are fairly self-controlled buyers. While we do get a bit of a thrill from shopping, we are still reasonably good at managing our finances (average score of 61 on a scale from 0 to 100), we are not fashion "slaves" to an excessive degree (score of 52), and we don't have issues with loved ones regarding our shopping habits (score of 23). Although we do tend to turn to shopping as a form of therapy when upset (score of 62) and tend to get a bit of an adrenaline rush when we shop (score of 54), we are generally fairly disciplined shoppers. When Queendom compared men and women's results on the Shopaholic Test, however, some interesting information was revealed.
"According to our data, women are more likely to be shopaholics, although not to an extreme degree, and there are major individual differences," explains Dr. Jerabek, president of the company. Overall, women outscored men 48 to 36 on shopaholism. The study reveals that men tend to be better at managing their money (score of 67 for men vs. 59 for women), better able to control their shopping urges (score of 64 for men vs. 57 for women), and less likely to feel an obsessive need to get all the latest fashions, be it clothes or gadgets (score of 44 for men vs. 55 for women). The largest score difference was in regards to the Retail Therapy scale. Women are much more likely to use shopping as a form of catharsis and to use the endorphin boost to get through a tough week (score of 66 for women, 43 for men). "The problem is, this feeling of elation is short-lived. Once the adrenaline rush wears off, it's replaced by negative feelings like guilt," Dr. Jerabek points out.
While some experts may still raise an eyebrow when considering whether Shopaholism/Oniomania should be considered an official impulse control disorder, studies released by organizations like Queendom are telling. For instance:
- Those who own more than 3 credit cards are much more likely than those who own only 1 to have difficulties managing their money and to use shopping to feel better. They are also more likely to have trouble with impulse control.
- 5% have "borrowed" credit cards from friends or family members to shop, without the card owner knowing.
- 9% can't afford to pay for basic expenses (e.g. food, bills) because of their excessive shopping.
- 25% can't leave a store without buying something.
- 37% hide their purchases from loved ones.
- 52% shop when feeling angry or depressed.
Those who wish to take the Shopaholic test can go to http://www.queendom.com/tests/access_page/index.htm?idRegTest=726
About Queendom.com
Queendom.com is a subsidiary of PsychTests AIM Inc. Queendom.com is a site that creates an interactive venue for self-exploration with a healthy dose of fun. The site offers a full range of professional-quality, scientifically-validated psychological assessments that empower people to grow and reach their real potential through insightful feedback and detailed, custom-tailored analysis.
About PsychTests AIM Inc:
PsychTests AIM Inc. originally appeared on the internet scene in 1997. Since its inception, it has become a pre-eminent provider of psychological assessment products and services to human resource personnel, therapists, academics, researchers and a host of other professionals around the world. PsychTests AIM Inc. staff is comprised of a dedicated team of psychologists, test developers, researchers, statisticians, writers, and artificial intelligence experts. PsychTests AIM Inc. was founded and is led by Dr. Ilona Jerabek, a specialist in the field of psychometric assessments and Vrat Jerabek Ph. D., a researcher and authority in the field of artificial intelligence.
Contact:
Ilona Jerabek, Ph.D., President
PsychTests AIM Inc.
http://testyourself.psychtests.com/
1-888-855-6975
ilona@psychtests.com
###
Contact
PsychTests AIM Inc.
Ilona Jerabek, PhD
514-745-3189
psychtests.com
toll-free at 1-888-855-6975
Ilona Jerabek, PhD
514-745-3189
psychtests.com
toll-free at 1-888-855-6975
Contact
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