Compensatory routes to object attachment

Abstract

This review presents a new typology of compensatory consumption strategies as a means to understand how self-discrepancies influence compensatory object attachment. We differentiate compensatory consumption strategies based on three types of benefits they may provide (functional, symbolic, and hedonic), and we conceptualize these benefits as assets (or liabilities) that can influence object attachment. We present theoretical arguments for the typology, and then we address each strategy with a definition, empirical evidence, and theoretical foundations. We conclude with a discussion of future opportunities for research at the intersection of compensatory consumption and object attachment.