Generally speaking, men and women seem to value money differently. After surveying 100,000 British men and women about their feelings surrounding money, researchers found women were twice as likely to associate cash with love and feelings of care in general, while men were again twice as likely to equal money with freedom and power.

The participants were asked questions like whether they go shopping when they feel anxious or upset, or if they feel more in control when they have money. The survey’s findings classified money under four essential emotional connotations: money represents security (a primary way of staving off anxiety), power (method to gain importance dominance and control), love (a manifestation of, and substitute for affection) and freedom (a necessity to acquire what you want).

“There has recently been an interest in the evolutionary psychology of consumption where socio-biological explanations are offered for numerous sex differences in shopping, spending and responding to advertising. On the other hand, it has been argued that sex differences in money beliefs and behaviors are essentially a product of structural institutions and socialization and can, therefore, be relearned,” the British researchers write.

Of course, some women equaled money with autonomy and some men felt money means love or generosity, but this was not the general trend. Also, men were also more likely to be hoarders while women did more emotional regulatory purchasing. Retailers are definitely keeping a watching eye on these sort of results. But remember, you should be the first person that become aware of his own relationship with money.

 

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