The Relation Between Self-control Affective State and Impulsive Buying Behavior

Impulsive buying has been defined by Rook (1987) as a sudden and unplanned purchase. Impulsive buying behavior is a field that is attracting lots of research in the consumer behavior sphere as well as in other fields. Different and similar triggers of impulsive buying behavior have been identified by these studies such as self-control, mood, situational factors, store characteristics, product characteristics and environmental factors. Most of these factors were studied independently; the aim of my study is to examine the relationship and link between self-control, our affective state and impulsive buying behavior. A combination of these three concepts in one study and how interdependent on each other is what I aim to find and what role self-control will play as a mediator between the two variables. In addition to this, I am also curious to know which particular age range of people usually fall victim to this impulsive buying behavior in Ghana. The study found a positive relationship between positive affective state, self-control and impulsive buying behavior. But positive affective state could only lead to impulsive buying with the presence of self-control as a mediating variable. On the contrary negative affective state was found to cause impulsive buying behavior with and without the presence of the mediator which is self-control.