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Compulsive buyers are individuals who experience and routinely act on powerful, uncontrollable urges to purchase. The relationships that existed between compulsive buying behavior and perceived social status associated with buying, materialism, self‐esteem, and apparel‐product involvement for adults between the ages of 18 and 24 were investigated. This age range was selected because it is the average onset age of compulsive buying behavior. A convenience sample of 305 undergraduates completed a questionnaire that contained measures of compulsive buying, perceived social status associated with buying, materialism, self‐esteem, and apparel‐product involvement. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the data. The full regression model and the regression coefficients for all four of the predictor variables were statistically significant. The compulsive buying behavior of participants was negatively related to self‐esteem and positively related to perceived social status associated with buying, materialism, and apparel‐product involvement.

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The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between need for variety and four consumer groups: fashion opinion leaders, fashion innovators, innovative communicators, and fashion followers. We predicted that fashion opinion leaders, fashion innovators, and innovative communicators would have a greater need for variety than would fashion followers. Subjects were 425 undergraduate students. Hirschman and Adcock's Measurement of Innovativeness and Opinion Leadership was used to identify the four consumer groups. Need for variety was measured by the Sensation Seeking Scale. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance and the Student-Newman-Keuls test. Results indicated that there was a significant difference between fashion innovators and fashion followers on need for variety as measured by the experience seeking component of the Sensation Seeking Scale. There were no significant differences between fashion opinion leaders or innovative communicators and fashion followers on the Sensation Seeking Scale. Results suggest that part of the psychological makeup of fashion innovators is a greater need for variety in the form of mental stimulation than fashion followers possess.

The purpose of this research was to provide a critical review of key research areas within the social psychology of dress. The review addresses published research in two broad areas: (1) dress as a stimulus and its influence on (a) attributions by others, attributions about self, and on one's behavior and (2) relationships between dress, the body, and the self. We identify theoretical approaches used in conducting research in these areas, provide an abbreviated background of research in these areas highlighting key findings, and identify future research directions and possibilities. The subject matter presented features developing topics within the social psychology of dress and is useful for undergraduate students who want an overview of the content area. It is also useful for graduate students (1) who want to learn about the major scholars in these key areas of inquiry who have moved the field forward, or (2) who are looking for ideas for their own thesis or dissertation research. Finally, information in this paper is useful for professors who research or teach the social psychology of dress.