Abstract:

The present investigation examined the cognitive characteristics of compulsive buyers using the Faber and O’Guinn Scale (1992) and a battery of neuropsychological screening tests sensitive to compulsion, inhibitory control and executive functions. The study predicted close relationships between scores on the Faber and O’Guinn Scale and scores on the executive functions tests. Consistent with our expectations, better performance on measures of executive function were associated with lower scores on the compulsive buying scale. The significant correlation support the idea that a deficit in the executive and inhibitory control is at least partly implicated in the process of compulsive buying.