Having a crush can change way you shop

Having a romantic crush on someone can increase the urge to seek variety in your purchases in a bid to reassert a sense of control over your life, scientists suggest. Crushes often evoke a sense of uncertainty because it is unclear whether an individual’s romantic feelings for another will be reciprocated.This compels people to switch from their favourite foods or brands and seek variety as a symbolic means of reasserting control.The researchers discovered this trend in a series of studies, including one when they asked participants to imagine that they were planning to buy yogurt at a local grocery store.They could either purchase a variety pack that included five different flavours or a pack that contained five servings of one flavour. Then the participants answered demographic questions, including one about whether they currently had a romantic crush.The results showed that people who had a romantic crush were more interested in purchasing the variety pack of yogurt than people who did not have a crush.“Having a variety of choices can create a sense of mastery over one’s environment and serves as a source of personal control,” said Irene Huang, a professor at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.The findings also have implications for marketers. Many contemporary consumers choose to disclose their relationship status through social media, and companies could target those who have a crush with promotional campaigns involving a high variety of options. Crushes are also a theme in television and movies, and marketers could promote products with variety during these shows, researchers said.