Productivity mindset and the consumption of collectable experiences

This research examines why consumers desire unusual and extreme consumption experiences, and voluntarily choose leisure activities, vacations, and celebrations that are unpleasant and even aversive. For example, many consumers choose to stay at freezing ice hotels and eat at restaurants serving peculiar foods, such as bacon ice cream. I propose that such choices are driven by consumers' continual striving to use time productively, make progress, and reach accomplishments (i.e., a productivity mindset). I argue that choices of collectable or memorable (unusual, aversive, extreme) experiences lead consumers to feel productive even when they are engaging in leisure activities, as they "check off' items on an "experiential check list" and build their "experiential CV." A series of nine laboratory and field studies shows that the consumption of collectable experiences is driven and intensified by (situational or chronic) productivity mindset.