Author Topic: what makes people collect things?  (Read 1364 times)

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Offline jacobolus

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what makes people collect things?
« on: Mon, 20 April 2015, 18:44:22 »
http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/itamar-simonson-what-makes-people-collect-things

TL;DR: people who have just the things they need – and buy things that are easy to obtain/replace – are satisfied. But if you ever get an extra one of something, or you get a rare valuable one, then you inevitably start feeling like you need more, and next thing you know you have 50.

Quote
In one experiment involving collectible pins, participants possessing two of a collectible line saw the set as “neither here nor there.” They described their feelings with statements such as, “I feel unsatisfied as the collection is incomplete,” “I feel uncomfortable as my position is kind of in the middle of something,” and “The current possession seems less valuable to me if I cannot get more pins.”

During the 2010 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament, the researchers gave 93 students in Hong Kong collectible boxes of mints depicting FIFA soccer teams. Participants received either one or two boxes of mints, and were told that the mint boxes were part of a collectible series. The students were then asked to choose another FIFA mint box or a ballpoint pen of equivalent value. Those who had one box of mints were no more likely to select another box than those in the control group, who received regular, non-collectible boxes of mints. But participants with two collectible boxes were more likely to select a third box than those with one collectible box or just a regular box.

Similarly, in another experiment, 169 students from Hong Kong were more likely to choose a refrigerator magnet over a pen if they had been told that they already had two or three magnets. Those who had only one magnet were no more likely than those with none to choose another magnet.

Results were different for more valuable items, however. The researchers showed each of 337 participants photographs of Coke cans, some deemed collectible and others simply regular cans. Some participants were told that the collectible cans were designed years ago, available for only a limited time, and therefore rare. The rest were told that the collectibles were newly designed and easily purchased.

The researchers found that among those who believed the collectible cans were easily obtainable, those shown two collectibles were more likely to want another than those shown one or no collectible cans. But those who believed the collectible cans were rare were more likely to want another even if they were shown just one can. This suggests that if consumers believe something is rare or valuable, owning even one is enough to make them want more.
« Last Edit: Mon, 20 April 2015, 18:51:40 by jacobolus »

Offline fohat.digs

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Re: what makes people collect things?
« Reply #1 on: Mon, 20 April 2015, 18:51:15 »
It is psychological.

There is no doubt that I am sick. I have a box in the garage with at least 2 dozen bird nests, which I plan to mount and frame one of these days, just because I imagine that "it will look cool"
"However, even though I was born in the Mesozoic, I do know what anyone who wants to reach out to young people should say: Billionaires took your money. They took your chance to buy a home. They took your chance at a good education. They stole your opportunities. Billionaires took the things you want in life. If you really want those things, you have to take them back.
That's the message. That's the whole message. Say that every day, not just to reach America's frustrated young white men, but people of every age, race, and gender.
Late-stage capitalism is a wealth-concentration engine, focused on vacuuming up every dollar and putting it in as few hands as possible. Republicans are helping that vacuum suck.
How does a tiny fraction of the population get away with this? They do it by dividing the other 99% of Americans against themselves."
- Marc Sumner 2025-05-30

Offline jacobolus

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Re: what makes people collect things?
« Reply #2 on: Mon, 20 April 2015, 18:52:23 »
I have a box in the garage with at least 2 dozen bird nests, which I plan to mount and frame one of these days, just because I imagine that "it will look cool"
I must say, that does sound pretty cool. Make a post here when you get it done! :)

Offline fohat.digs

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Re: what makes people collect things?
« Reply #3 on: Mon, 20 April 2015, 19:00:34 »

I must say, that does sound pretty cool. Make a post here when you get it done!


It has been there for several years, and it may well be that long again .....

What changed? I can quote you again for the first time in months.
"However, even though I was born in the Mesozoic, I do know what anyone who wants to reach out to young people should say: Billionaires took your money. They took your chance to buy a home. They took your chance at a good education. They stole your opportunities. Billionaires took the things you want in life. If you really want those things, you have to take them back.
That's the message. That's the whole message. Say that every day, not just to reach America's frustrated young white men, but people of every age, race, and gender.
Late-stage capitalism is a wealth-concentration engine, focused on vacuuming up every dollar and putting it in as few hands as possible. Republicans are helping that vacuum suck.
How does a tiny fraction of the population get away with this? They do it by dividing the other 99% of Americans against themselves."
- Marc Sumner 2025-05-30

Offline bcredbottle

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Re: what makes people collect things?
« Reply #4 on: Mon, 20 April 2015, 19:05:01 »
.
« Last Edit: Wed, 06 October 2021, 13:57:39 by bcredbottle »

Offline vivalarevolución

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Re: what makes people collect things?
« Reply #5 on: Mon, 20 April 2015, 20:11:19 »
The thrill of the hunt for the rare item is a factor in collecting.
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Offline tp4tissue

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Re: what makes people collect things?
« Reply #6 on: Mon, 20 April 2015, 22:16:02 »
Hahahhaahaha....

It's very simple really..

Everyone attempts to "track" progress in their own way.

Be it, money, # of keyboards, # of good-deeds.. # of bottle caps.. etc.


We've all got our own little RPG goin' in our little minds.