Collectors and Collecting: A Social Psychological Perspective

Abstract

Collecting is a pervasive behavior in our culture, yet it has received little attention in the psychological literature. We examine eight aspects of the collecting process, drawing on existing ideas and research in social psychology as well as existing research on collectors and collecting to describe the motivations that underlie collecting behavior. We suggest that collectors are drawn to collecting as a means of bolstering the self by setting up goals that are tangible and attainable and provide the collector with concrete feedback of progress.

Keywords:

• collecting
• goals

Notes

¹There may be times when collectors purchase additions to their collections spontaneously, and perhaps there are collectors who primarily collect in this manner. The planning and courtship aspect to collecting will in these cases play little or no role in their collecting behavior.