Patagonia – Your Brain on Shopping

Why do we keep buying new stuff?

Your brain on shopping: When you see something new-to-you, your brain gives you a small pulse of the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine. This reward system was great for the prehistoric era—new berry patch: good; saber-tooth tiger: bad—but today, it’s contributing to an overconsumption problem that’s deepening our climate crisis.

But as Dr. Uma R. Karmarkar, an assistant professor of consumer psychology at UC San Diego, says, “Understanding how the brain works really helps us be more active, more intentional consumers.”

Take a look at Patagonia’s new film on why we keep buying new stuff or read the journal article.