Which term best describes high levels of shopping motivated by social comparison?

The term that best describes high levels of shopping motivated by social comparison is competitive consumption. This concept refers to purchasing behaviors that are driven by the desire to keep up with or outperform others, often directly linked to social status and peer influence. Individuals engaging in competitive consumption are inclined to buy products not solely for their utility but to signal their wealth or success to others, thereby participating in social comparison.

This behavior reflects a broader psychological phenomenon where people gauge their self-worth or social standing through their possessions and consumption patterns, making it a core aspect of competitive consumption. The drive to outperform peers fosters a cycle of consumption that can lead to overspending and a focus on material wealth as a measure of status.

The other options relate to different aspects of consumer behavior. Conspicuous consumption, while it also involves elements of social display, primarily focuses on the overt display of wealth and luxury goods rather than competition per se. Diligent savings emphasizes financial prudence and the accumulation of savings, not shopping behavior. Market expansion refers to strategies for increasing product availability in new markets, which does not tie into social motivations for purchasing. Understanding these distinctions clarifies why competitive consumption is the most fitting term for high levels of shopping driven by social comparison.