Chapter 23 of PSYCHOMarketing by Roger Nichols
Philosopher Dennis Diderot went bankrupt, and in 1765, Catherine the Great, the Russian Empress, heard about his financial troubles and offered to help him get back on top. As a famous patron of the arts, sciences, and Enlightenment philosophers, she immediately paid him to acquire his whole library, although it was kept at his home, and she hired him as her librarian, with an advance payment of 25 years’ salary.
Diderot had never had that kind of money before, so he spent a substantial part of it on a scarlet robe. After the satisfaction he got from wearing the robe, he realized his apartment wasn’t quite as nice as it should be, since he had started dressing like a rich person. While renovating his apartment, he noticed that his armchair was not fit for the new renovations, so he bought a leather armchair, which led him to realize he had the same problem with his desk. Soon, he upgraded nearly all the items in his house and ran into debt. Despite this, he remained hungry for more material things. Being a philosopher, he proceeded to write the essay, “Regrets for my Old Dressing Gown.”
This essay has inspired many studies on consumerism, and the spiral of consumption he wrote about is now known as “The Diderot Effect,” which he first described. The phenomenon is based on two major ideas: (1) goods procured are part of the consumer’s identity and are likely to complement one another; and (2) the purchase of a new item that deviates from that identity can cause a spiral of consumption in an attempt to forge a new unified identity. “The Diderot Effect” is a spiral of consumption, which leads to acquiring things that are not needed but become necessary because the consumer feels it will help him or her maintain their appearance, or bring them fulfillment. It is what happens when you buy a new product, and you think you need to buy more products to complement what you have just purchased. For instance, buying a nude shoe and feeling the urge to buy a complimentary nude bag even when you don’t need it or already have another nude bag of a similar shade.
In marketing, brands exploit “The Diderot Effect” by pairing complimentary items to attract customers. Sales personnel are quite adept at engaging this strategy, by putting ideas in consumers’ heads that they need a product to complete their “look.” For instance, telling a customer that the necklace they just purchased looks gorgeous on them, and it will look even better if they can buy a pair of the earrings and bracelets they have in stock. They go as far as allowing the customer to “try on” the jewelry so they can see how good the combination looks. Most times, the customer feels compelled to purchase the earrings and bracelets, even when she has something similar. When she walks away without buying the earrings and bracelets, she is left with a lingering feeling that she should have taken the sales person’s offer. Maybe she starts to feel she would attract more attention if she purchased the jewelry, instead of combining the old pieces she has–which people have seen repeatedly—with the new necklace she has just purchased. Brands also exploit this effect by creating an awareness of options. Indeed, it is precisely for this reason that so many products are created with “matching” parts. The hope is they will inspire the consumer to purchase their total picture of success.
Causes of Human Actions
There are several reasons why human beings take the actions they do; these reasons can be internal or external. Some actions are taken for self: they are internally motivated actions; while others are taken for external reasons: they are taken in behalf of others. According to classical philosopher, Aristotle, in his book, Rhetoric (4th century B.C.), “every action must be due to one or other of seven causes: chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reasoning, anger, or appetite.” These are the primary causes of all human actions; all are based in emotion or reason, and humans’ innate desire for pleasure over work. Thus, they are worth distinguishing, to show how they fuel desires and actions.
Chance
Chance occurrences almost always influence human beings, though their effects rarely change decisions. The causes of chance events are mostly unknown, as they happen unexpectedly.
Nature
Natural events are those that occur within the human body, like the need for food or water. The urge to take actions on these are natural and common to every human.
Compulsions
Compulsion often occurs as a matter of necessity. Even though it may not be the wish of a person to do something, compulsion demands an action be taken.
Habit
Habit is well-known as actions taken repeatedly, albeit not necessarily logically.
Reasoning
These are purposeful actions taken by individuals who generally have clear reasons for taking them. They are often a means to an end and are often motivated by a need to do something important. Rational actions are often proper and timely.
Anger
This is the strongest of all the emotions. It is sometimes interpreted as passion, and may be connected to revenge and violence. Aristotle noted it is from passion and anger that all acts of revenge are due: “no one grows angry with a person on whom there is no prospect of taking vengeance, and we feel comparatively little anger, or none at all, with those who are much our superiors in power.”
Appetite
This is often interpreted as “desire,” but it is simply a “craving for pleasure.” Anger serves negative motivation; Aristotle said, “Appetite is the cause of all actions that appear pleasant.” He further emphasized that wealth or poverty are not a cause of action, although the appetite for wealth may well motivate someone to take certain actions. “Nor, again, is action due to wealth or poverty; it is of course true that poor men, being short of money, do have an appetite for it, and that rich men, being able to command needless pleasures, do have an appetite for such pleasures, but here, again, their actions will be due not to wealth or poverty but to appetite.”
How to Overcome Consumption Tendency Consumption tendency is a vicious cycle; the best solution is not to start it at all. The problem Diderot had was that he bought the first robe. If he had not purchased the scarlet robe, he would not have run into trouble. Also, consumption is in the mind. It is like a temptation, and everything that encourages it should be avoided. There are four practical ways to avoid this tendency:
- Before buying, imagine how an item will fit into your life. There are many good things that can be desirable, but ask yourself if it will fit into your house, your lifestyle, and your budget. Imagine the many changes it will cause if you do buy it. Buying is easy, but the effects are often difficult to reverse.
- Think of the proposed purchase in terms of the group, not as a single item. One example of this is buying clothes and other accessories. You can see a product that is beautiful, but it might not go with any other thing in your wardrobe. Rather than get the finest thing, decoration, or accessory, it is important that you find something in line with what you already have. If you do that, you will not feel pressured to replace some old item or to put away something that does not fit.
- Do away with the temptations around you. Relating to people with consumption mindset always influences one to have the same mindset. Deliberately window-shopping for fancy items on the
Internet leads to a heightened desire to buy items. If you can, block unnecessary advertisements on your email and web browsers, and unsubscribe from tempting newsletters that can trigger “The Diderot Effect.”
- Focus more on the experiences and not the items. Even though purchasing makes you feel joyful, it is best avoided. When the environment decides what you do, it affects good intentions, and a good experience offers an entire lifetime of happy memories. Experiences include going to a museum, attending a lecture, a picnic, or arranging a weekend getaway.