Jarris McGhee Annotated Bibliography 1 December 2012 Annotated Bibliography Atalay, A. Selin, and Margaret G. Meloy.

"When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Go Shopping": An Examination Of Self-Gifting Behavior." Advances In Consumer Research 33.1 (2006): 259-260. Business Source Complete. Web. 14 September 2012. This makes reference to retail therapy gifts as comfort food or just because type gifts such as flowers and candy...which is a relief because now I feel that my topics isn't as left field as it once seemed. I particularly like the article because of the extensive research that it introduces and how its utilities their results from detailed studies to assist in expressing self-gifting as a therapy. The research of the students and other patrons involved will provide a lot of great statistics and information that will appeal to those who really appreciate comparisons of numbers when making a decision as opposed to empty statements without any backing. The article goes on the detail the types of purchases, why the consumer selected it, and the effect of the individual's mood. The material in this study will be somewhat essential in discussing other sides of my topic, as it addresses the existence of overindulgence and post-purchase regret. Plastow, Michael. "Retail Therapy: The Enjoyment Of The Consumer." British Journal Of Psychotherapy 28.2 (2012): 204-220. PsycINFO. Web. 14 September 2012. Initially, I was overjoyed to come across this article during my research process. Based on the title, I assumed that this going to bring a lot of information that would really assist in driving some of my key points home. After all, the title is exactly what my paper would be based on, the enjoyment of the consumer. However, once I began reading I was struck with confusion, somewhat disheartened, and just left completely unsure as to where the author stood on the subject. The article hits on points such as shopper psychology, consumerism, consumption, and castration. Dr. Plastow dismisses the idea of retail therapy as a legitimate therapeutic solution, and at introduces the idea that it [retail therapy] would actually lead to more stress and the individual's economic collapse.

Weisfeld-Spolter, Suri, and Maneesh Thakkat. A Framework For Examining The Role Of Culture In Individuals Likelihood To Engage In Self-Gifting Behavior. Academy Of Marketing Studies Journal 16.1 (2012): 39-52. Entrepreneurial Studies Source. Web. 14 September 2012. This article comes from the Academy of Marketing Studies Journal, and tackles the who question. What types of people are most likely to engage in a self-gifting behavior? Has self-gifting gone global or is it strictly a Western (American) phenomenon? Do people consider it a sign of arrogance/selfishness or as an efficient means of self-preservation? In 15-pages this article goes very in-depth addressing the roles of the consumer and the industry (from a marketing/advertisement perspective). The sociological theory of Reasoned Action is introduced as a counter-argument to those that assume self-gifting is a result of impulsive buying leading to compulsive buying. Much like the first source, self-gifting is also explored using scientific methods, which could prove valuable since it is now being looked at from a scientific and sociological perspective.