As I write this it is approximately 12am (CST) on the friday after Thanksgiving, 2009, and we have ushered in one of the more unusual unofficial holidays in the United States: Black Friday. The day after Thanksgiving has become the starting point for shoppers to snatch up holiday gifts for loved ones at bargain prices, for retailers to recover losses for the year (or extend on profits), and for the media to cover the inevitable chaos that comes when these forces are put into motion.
As I look into my crystal ball I see stories of retail employees trampled underfoot at 5am for gift bags worth less than five dollars, fistfights between customers over 50 inch plasma televisions and evening news segments on patrons camped out in sleeping bags in front of an electronics superstore for lottery tickets for limited edition video game systems. There will be gnashing of teeth over 'Out of Stock' signs, hipchecks at the clearance racks, and embattled retail managers apologizing
Perhaps it is time we examine a potential new transient psychological phenomenon which I will Black Friday Syndrome (BFS).
BFS is marked by at least 3 or more of the the following symptoms:
- More than 3 hours spent pouring over retail circulars at the Thanksgiving dinner table for the best deals ('Where did I see that Nintendo DSi for $30? It was here, somewhere...")
- Exacerbated adrenaline release at the sight of 0% Financing for 18 months available.
- Plotting out a time course to cover the number of stores visited prior to noon so that bargain-to-distance ratio is maximized ("If we start off at Wal-Mart, then go to Best Buy, we can make it in time to get to the the noon sale at Pier 1." )
- Verbal and/or physical intimidation of store clerks or managers when an item is not available ("What do you mean there aren't any GI Joe Super Commando Ninja Action Swords?!? Go in the back and look or I'll need to talk to your manager.")
- Verbal and/or physical intimidation of fellow shoppers to procure 'Door Buster Sale' item ("Get your hands off that GI Joe Super Commando Ninja Action Sword, pal. It's MINE!" - usually followed by a flying drop kick or mean right cross)
- Comptetive shopping with peers to evaulate who got the best deals ("You got your fleece for $9.99? I got mine for $8.50.")
- Using technology to text/phone your peers what items are available ("Quick, text Chris and Pat to let them know we got Heather that Snuggie so that she doesn't get it for her.")
- Hypervigilance when monitoring checkout line order ('No cutting in line, Buddy!')
- Tunnel vision and the uncanny ability to find a single purple plush toy amid a sea of blue, red, and teal versions of the same plush toy.
- Narcolepsy-like symptoms after 3pm.
In addition to these criteira, there may some exacerbating factors which can heighten the severity of BFS. They may include:
- The irritability that comes with sleep deprivation. Getting up at 4pm to make it to a 5am opening of a store the morning after a feast can't be a good thing. The body dealing with the excess of calories and potentially a reduction of REM sleep (especially if you consumed any alcohol).
- The media frenzy which sets the stage prior to the day and reporting of poor social behavior heightening the possibility that you will make the news (or comment as a witness of someone else's obnoxious behavior).
- The anxiety that comes from the a deal will somehow be missed, or a loved-one's idealized gift will not find its way under the tree and their holiday will be ruined.
- The behavioral economics which make those sales so doggone attractive.
So what is going on in the brains of people with BFS? Why do they do these things? Pehaps it is high time that we brought the neuroscientists into the conversation. fMRI and SPECT scanning of brains is sure to solve (and excuse) everything, anyway. Stay tuned - it is just a matter of time until we brain scientists figure this one out (and narrow it down to the orbitofrontal or cingulate cortex ... or some other brain region that sounds good). Who knows? We've already got the inside track on one of this year's hottest gifts.
**All kidding aside, it is important recognize that Compulsive Shopping can be a problem for many and the hysteria that surrounds Black Friday can be a difficult time for those struggling with this. There is nothing wrong with purchasing gifts for loved ones or for enjoying the thrill of shopping as long as it does not lead to anti-social behavior or pathological patterns.
