ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Personality and Social Psychology
The Effect of Perceived Busyness on Nostalgic Consumption Intention: Based on Compensatory Control Theory
Ershuai Huang 1
Xiaoping Zhu 1
Feng Yao 2
Huang Dongmei 2
1. Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, China
2. Jilin University, Changchun, China
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Abstract
In modern society, where busyness serves as the main theme, busyness not only affects consumers' social cognition, physical and mental health, but also influences their behaviors. Previous studies have mostly explored its impact on consumer behavior from the perspective of positive psychological perceptions induced by busyness, with relatively few studies examining its impact from the perspective of negative psychological perceptions triggered by busyness. Based on compensatory control theory, this study employed four experiments to explore the impact of perceived busyness on nostalgic consumption, uncover its explanatory mechanism, and identify external boundary conditions. The research findings indicate that perceived busyness has a positive effect on consumers' willingness to engage in nostalgic consumption. Sense of control mediates the influence of busyness perception on nostalgic consumption. Perceived autonomy not only moderates the impact of perceived busyness on nostalgic consumption but also moderates the mediating effect of sense of control, exhibiting a moderated mediation effect. This study expands theoretical research on perceived busyness and offers practical insights for policymakers and organizers on how to manage the mental health of busy individuals.
Summary
Keywords
Compensatory control theory, Nostalgic consumption 3, Perceived Busyness 1, Perceivedautonomous 4, Sense of control 2
Received
11 October 2025
Accepted
09 January 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Huang, Zhu, Yao and Dongmei. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Feng Yao
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.