Want spouse's attention? Well, retail therapy can help

Ever felt jealous about the attention your partner was giving to someone else? Well, don't fret, retail therapy can bring back the love of your life, according to a new study. The findings showed that feelings of jealousy increase the desire of buying eye-catching products. “We believe that this effect is not just restricted to jealousy in romantic relationships. Children can be jealous of a sibling’s relationship with their parents, or workers might be jealous of a colleague’s close relationship with a supervisor,” said Xun (Irene) Huang, professor at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

For the study, a series of experiments were conducted. One experiment showed that participants who had feelings of jealousy were more likely to buy a noticeable gold lamp for their office. But if they were buying a lamp for their bedroom, interest in a gold lamp versus a plain grey one was equal. In addition, the desire to get someone’s attention with flashy products even outweighed the risk of public embarrassment, the researchers said.

According to Huang, the study may also have implications for marketing. Print advertisements and in-store displays can capture situations in which jealousy is at play, which could motivate consumers to buy products that will attract attention. The study was published online in the Journal of Consumer Psychology.