SHOPAHOLISM (ONIOMANIA) AS A SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL PHENOMENON WITHIN THE CONSUMPTION CULTURE SYSTEM

Abstract

This article provides a theoretical analysis of shopaholism (oniomania) as a specific phenomenon within the consumer culture of contemporary society. The study focuses on interpreting shopaholism not merely as an individual deviant or compulsive behavior, but as a socially conditioned phenomenon closely linked to transformations of value orientations, symbolic practices, and mechanisms of social identification in late modern society. The theoretical and methodological framework of the research is based on classical and contemporary approaches within the sociology of consumption, including Thorstein Veblen’s concept of conspicuous consumption, Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of social differentiation and symbolic capital, as well as perspectives from critical social theory and social psychology. The article examines key social factors contributing to the spread of shopaholism, such as mass culture, advertising, media, and digital platforms that promote continuous consumption and the constant renewal of lifestyles. Particular attention is paid to the role of emotional and irrational components of consumer behavior, mechanisms of social comparison, and the construction of prestige and status through consumption. It is argued that oniomania functions as a symptom of broader sociocultural processes, including the commercialization of everyday life, the erosion of traditional norms of self-control, and the growing significance of consumption as a means of self-expression and identity formation. The study concludes that shopaholism should be understood as a complex social phenomenon that integrates economic, cultural, and psychological dimensions and requires an interdisciplinary analytical approach. The findings may be useful for further sociological research on consumer culture, deviant behavior, and the social consequences of mass consumption