Have you ever bought a new smartphone and suddenly found yourself dissatisfied with your perfectly fine headphones? Before long, you’ve purchased premium wireless earbuds, a protective case and a fast-charging station. What begins as a single acquisition snowballs into a shopping spree—this is the Diderot effect in action.
Named after the 18th-century French philosopher Denis Diderot, the Diderot effect originates from an essay he wrote. In it, he recounted receiving a luxurious robe as a gift. As lovely as it was, the robe clashed with the rest of his humble belongings. One by one, he replaced his possessions to match the robe’s elegance, and ultimately fell into debt. Psychologically, the effect reflects our desire for consistency and harmony in our environment. This explains why we are driven to match new items with our existing ones, often leading to unintended expenditures.
Modern marketing strategies cleverly exploit the Diderot effect. Retailers employ tactics such as bundled product offerings and carefully designed showroom environments. IKEA, for example, creates coordinated spaces that subtly encourage comprehensive purchasing. Consumers are prompted to buy not only the desired item but also related products to maintain visual unity.
Photo: Freepik 照片：Freepik
To break free from this consumption spiral, one must first distinguish between genuine needs and manufactured desires. Should you find yourself tempted by an attractive sale, consider the potential future purchases it might trigger. Is that discounted designer coat truly a bargain if it compels you to buy accessories to match? Furthermore, focus on practicality over status. Could a secondhand alternative serve the same functional purpose? A pre-owned bicycle, for instance, offers the same benefits as its brand-new counterpart, without the high cost.
By understanding the Diderot effect, we can make more mindful consumption choices and avoid the psychological trap that leaves us with overflowing closets and empty wallets.
你是否曾買了一支新智慧型手機，卻突然對原本好好的耳機感到不滿意？不久之後，你已經買了高級無線耳機、保護殼和快速充電座。一開始的單一購物，最終變成一場購物狂潮──這就是狄德羅效應的具體表現。
狄德羅效應的名稱來自西元 18 世紀的法國哲學家德尼．狄德羅，這個概念源自他撰寫的一篇文章。在文中，他述說自己收到了一件奢華的長袍作為禮物。雖然這件長袍十分美麗，但與他其餘簡樸的物品格格不入。他一件一件地替換自己的物品，使其與長袍的優雅相匹配，最終因此負債。從心理層面來看，這種效應反映了我們對環境一致性與和諧性的渴望。這解釋了為什麼我們會被驅使將新物品與現有物品搭配，這常常導致預期外的開支。
現代行銷策略巧妙地利用了狄德羅效應。零售商採用各種策略，如捆綁銷售和精心設計的展示空間。例如，宜家家居打造了協調一致的空間，巧妙地鼓勵全面性的購買。消費者被促使著不僅購買了他們想要的物品，還會一併購買其他相關產品，以維持視覺一致性。
要擺脫這種消費漩渦，首先必須區分真正的需求和人為製造的慾望。如果你被吸引去購買打折商品，考慮一下這可能會引發的未來購買。如果那件打折的設計師外套迫使你購買搭配的配飾，它真的划算嗎？此外，注重實用性而非地位象徵。二手替代品是否能達到相同的功能目的？例如，一輛二手自行車提供與全新自行車相同的好處，卻沒有那麼高的成本。
透過理解狄德羅效應，我們可以做出更謹慎的消費選擇，避免這個讓衣櫃爆滿而錢包空空的心理陷阱。
MORE INFORMATION
headphones n. 耳機（恆用複數）
earbud n. 耳塞式耳機
recount vt. 講述；敘述
bundle v. 捆綁銷售；搭售
showroom n. 展示廳
practicality n. 實用性
amplify vt. 擴大；增強
snowball vi. 如滾雪球般增大
spree n. 無節制的狂熱行為
KEY VOCABULARY
1. originate v. 起源；開創
This traditional dance is believed to originate from ancient tribal ceremonies performed centuries ago. 這種傳統舞蹈被認為起源於幾世紀前的古代部落儀式。
2. belongings n. 擁有物（恆用複數）
Please keep an eye on your belongings while traveling on a crowded train.
搭擁擠火車時請注意自己的財物。
3. expenditure n. 開支；花費
We should keep a record of every expenditure to better control our budget.
我們應該記錄每筆花費，以便更好地控制預算。
4. exploit vt.（為獲取利益而）利用
Politicians sometimes exploit public fears about economic insecurity to gain support for their policies.
政治人物有時會利用公眾對經濟不安全感的恐懼來為其政策贏得支持。
5. retailer n. 零售商
The online retailer offers free shipping on all orders over US$50 to compete with larger companies.
這家網路零售商對所有超過五十美元的訂單提供免費運送，為了與較大的公司競爭。
6. tactic n. 策略；手法
As a sales tactic, the company offered limited-time discounts to create a sense of urgency.
作為銷售策略，這間公司提供限時折扣以製造緊迫感。
7. spiral n. 不斷加劇的上升或下降；螺旋
The company’s debt has entered a dangerous downward spiral after three consecutive years of poor financial decisions.
在連續三年的錯誤財務決策後，這間公司的債務已進入危險的下降螺旋。
8. counterpart n. 相對應者
The online version of the magazine offers more interactive features than its print counterpart. 這本雜誌的線上版本比起其紙質對應版本提供了更多互動功能。
9. overflow v. 爆滿；溢出
The trash can started to overflow because nobody emptied it all weekend.
垃圾桶因整個週末沒清理而開始溢出。
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