Cognitive and affective mechanisms in impulsive buying: evaluating triggers’ effect

Yermoshkina O. V.

Article

Issue:	2025 №4 (92)
Section:	Marketing
UDK:	339.138:159.93(159.98)
DOI:	https://doi.org/10.33271/ebdut/92.027
Article language:	English
Pages:	27-36
Title:	Cognitive and affective mechanisms in impulsive buying: evaluating triggers’ effect
Author:	Yermoshkina O. V., Lviv Polytechnic National University
Annotation:	Methods. The study employed a cross-sectional survey-based design aimed at examining the relationships between external triggers of impulsive buying, personality traits, and impulsive purchasing tendencies measured by the IBS-20 scale. A sample of 126 economically active individuals, as defined by the ILO criteria, participated in the study. Respondents represented different age, income, and regional groups of Ukraine, with women comprising 79.4% of the sample. Two psychometric instruments were used: Impulse Buying Scale-20 – to assess the overall level of impulsive buying, its affective and cognitive dimensions, Big Five Inventory-20 – to measure the five personality traits. Respondents evaluated their susceptibility to four categories of external triggers: visual, aromatic, audial, mental. For non-normal distribution of the variables, nonparametric statistical methods were applied. Results. External triggers significantly influenced impulsive buying, with effects moderated by personality. Visual cues predicted overall, affective, and cognitive impulsivity, especially among individuals high in Neuroticism and low in Conscientiousness. Aromatic cues-especially perfume and candle scents-were strongly linked to all IBS dimensions and personality traits, whereas bakery and coffee aromas mainly affected highly neurotic consumers. Audial cues produced strong effects: music predicted all IBS components and Neuroticism, while crowd noise increased affective and cognitive impulsivity through cognitive overload, interacting with Conscientiousness. Psychological triggers were most powerful: internal drive predicted all IBS components and correlated with Neuroticism and Conscientiousness, while social influence affected only affective impulsivity. Novelty. The study provides an integrated analysis of sensory and psychological triggers together with personality traits, identifying Neuroticism-not Extraversion-as the main predictor of reactivity. Visual cues drive both cognitive and affective impulsivity, scents elevate emotional responses, and auditory cues influence cognitive load. Internal motivational states outweigh external stimuli, underscoring the role of emotional pre-activation. In the context of Ukraine’s heightened societal stress, the findings reveal how macro-emotional conditions intensify impulsive behaviour. Practical value. Emotional tension increases impulsivity while economic uncertainty heightens consumer caution. Marketers can improve targeting by aligning sensory cues with personality profiles, e.g., visual and aromatic cues for high-Neuroticism consumers and reduced sensory load for low-Conscientiousness groups to avoid overload
Keywords:	Neuromarketing, Impulsive buying, Cognitive and affective mechanism, External triggers, Neuroticism, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Openness, Impulsive buying scale
File of the article:	EV20254_027-036.pdf
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