Social Exclusion Drives Risky Spending and Consumption

Author: University of Chicago Press Journals
Published: 2010/09/20 - Updated: 2026/02/07
Publication Type: Research, Study, Analysis
Category Topic: Offbeat News - Related Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates

Synopsis: This research presents findings from a peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Consumer Research that examines how social exclusion influences consumer behavior and decision-making. The scholarly work, authored by researchers from five universities including Tilburg University and the University of Minnesota, provides valuable insights into why isolated individuals may become vulnerable to financial exploitation, overspending, and harmful consumption patterns. The experimental findings are particularly relevant for understanding vulnerability factors affecting seniors living alone, people with disabilities who may face social isolation, and anyone experiencing exclusion from social groups. The research demonstrates through controlled experiments that excluded individuals will pay premium prices for items they believe will help them connect with others and may even engage in personally distasteful or risky behaviors to gain social acceptance - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

Money, Drugs and Chicken Feet

People who feel excluded will go to any length to try to become part of a group, even if it involves spending large sums of cash, eating something dicey, or doing illicit drugs, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.

Main Content

"Social exclusion prompts people to use money and consumption in the service of affiliation," write authors Nicole L. Mead (Tilburg University), Roy F. Baumeister (Florida State University), Tyler F. Stillman (Southern Utah University), Catherine D. Rawn (University of British Columbia), and Kathleen D. Vohs (University of Minnesota).

"An elderly man loses his life savings to a fraudulent telemarketer, who obtained access to the man's bank account information by preying on the man's social isolation. After transferring to a new university where she doesn't know anyone, a young woman goes into debt when she goes on a wildly lavish vacation with a popular group of girls. An unpopular girl uses illicit drugs in hopes of gaining entrance into a seemingly exclusive social club. What do these situations have in common" the authors ask.

Excluded people look to the social environment for cues on how to fit in, and then they flexibly and strategically use consumption to help them commence new social relationships, the authors explain.

In their experiments, the authors induced participants to feel socially accepted or excluded and then assessed how their spending and consumption patterns changed.

In one study, people were paired with partners who left the study. People who thought their partners left because they disliked them were more willing to spend money on school spirit wristbands than people who thought their partners left for an appointment.

People who feel left out are willing to engage in personally distasteful (or even harmful) consumption in order to fit in.

"In one experiment, excluded individuals were willing to pay more than others for chicken feet, an unappealing food item liked by their Asian partner," the authors write. "In a subsequent experiment, participants who recalled an experience of social exclusion expressed an increased willingness to snort cocaine."

Nicole L. Mead, Roy F. Baumeister, Tyler F. Stillman, Catherine D. Rawn, and Kathleen D. Vohs. "Social Exclusion Causes People to Spend and Consume in the Service of Affiliation." Journal of Consumer Research: April 2011 (officially published online September 9, 2010).

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: The implications of this research extend well beyond academic interest, offering practical insights for protecting vulnerable populations from exploitation. Understanding that social isolation creates predictable patterns of consumer vulnerability helps explain why lonely seniors fall victim to scams, why newcomers to communities make impulsive financial decisions, and why excluded individuals engage in harmful behaviors for acceptance. Recognizing these psychological mechanisms allows caregivers, social workers, and community organizations to develop targeted interventions that address the root cause - social exclusion itself - rather than simply warning against risky financial or consumption decisions. The findings underscore that meaningful social connection isn't just emotionally important; it's a fundamental protective factor against exploitation and poor decision-making - Disabled World (DW).