The student stares intently at their computer during class, engrossed in the content. Shopping for clothes.
While this could be an isolated incident, it could also be part of their normal behavior.
According to the Sierra Vista Hospital website shopping addiction is a type of behavioral addiction, characterized by an irresistible urge to shop and spend money excessively, often resulting in emotional distress and financial problems.
While some students reportedly shop online during class, it is for various items and different amounts of time.
Freshmen Raphael Centeno said ¨yes [I shop online during class].¨
While several students said they mainly shop for clothes online, these were not the only thing they shopped for.
“I shop during class for food from Mulberries as well as clothes,” senior Joseph Blumberg said.
He is not the only community member who orders their lunch online.
About 80 sandwiches are ordered each day during lunch a Mulberries Employee estimated.
According to the App My site one in three customers in the United States use an online food ordering service at least once a week.
While these numbers indicate students are buying online, it becomes an addiction when the person is spending more money than they meant to on a regular basis according to the Center for Professional Recovery.
with it is estimated at about eight percent of the population.
Business Dasher.com estimates that 40 percent of consumers make in store purchases at least once a week compared to 27 percent who shop online.
PHS students surveyed tended to favor in store shopping.
According to the American Journal of Economic and Business Management a factor that may be significant in causing shopping addiction is social factors. People, especially teens who, according to the Center for Parent and Teen Communication Center, are conscious of what their peers think of them, may feel pressure to shop and buy to fit in and be ¨cool¨.
This is also made worse by the fact that with the rise of Fast Fashion, what is ¨cool¨ is always changing, requiring people who want to keep up to buy more.
It is no secret that Americans are bombarded with commercials urging them to buy, buy, buy and mired more generally in a materialist and consumerist culture.
In fact, according to Forbes, the average American is exposed to a deluge of 4,000 to 10,000 ads every day.
Some students believe shopping is heavily impacted by societal factors.
Senior Hudson Cole said, ¨I am aware of the issues that shopping addiction can cause, I suspect fast fashion may be a factor in [causing] it.¨
While most students shop, the amount of money spent on average is not as high as many would think.
Of 35 PHS juniors surveyed, only two reported spending more than $100 per month, while most spent less than $30.
The behavior of most students is not necessarily indicative of an addiction but rather normal behavior, as Americans spend time online, they will also shop more online.
