Anxiety attachment and avoidance attachment: antecedents to self-gifting

Purpose: This paper aims to enhance current understanding of motivations for self-gifting by suggesting that an individual’s attachment state from childhood upbringing impacts self-gifting behavior. Design/methodology/approach: A survey was administered to 301 consumers living in the USA. Results were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings: Findings reveal that insecure anxious and insecure avoidant individuals are inclined to self-gift for reward and as compensation for personal disappointment. Practical implications: Retailers can leverage the results to customize promotional messages that reference self-gifting in relation to an individual’s attachment style. For example, messaging geared towards attachment avoidance might emphasize acceptance of one’s imperfect self and situation. Messaging with sensitivity to attachment anxiety might emphasize positive self-reflection and self-worth. Per the authors’ findings, a promotional message geared towards attachment style may better motivate self-gifting. Originality/value: This research is the first known empirical research to specify a psychological antecedent of self-gifting behavior, which is an emerging area in the literature and retail environment. The findings explain nuances of self-gifting behavior by theoretically connecting insecure attachment style as a driver of self-gifting purchases for reward and personal disappointment.