Home1
Psychological tests2
Conspicuous Consumption Tendency Scale3

Conspicuous Consumption Tendency Scale Test

Understand how much your purchases reflect status or self-expression in about 6 minutes. Get a clear profile of your motives and the specific style driving attention-seeking spending.

Start Online Test

Questions: 306 minutes

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

31,861 view

1,930 completions

1,673 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

2/6

Release (R)

Measures the extent to which a person seeks pleasure and visibility through owning unique or luxury items and related attention-drawing behavior.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 2: Low | 3 – 4: Moderate | 5 – 6: High

A score of 2 indicates a low tendency toward hedonic, attention-linked consumption, with limited reliance on unique or luxury items for visibility or pleasure.

example score

2/5

Perfectionism (P)

Measures the tendency to prefer only top-tier, high-quality items as a way to signal exceptionally high standards through consumption.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 1: Low | 2 – 3: Moderate | 4 – 5: High

A score of 2 indicates a moderate preference for higher-quality items, with occasional emphasis on “the best” as part of self-presentation.

example score

3/5

Escape From Poverty (EFP)

Measures the tendency to use spending and visible purchases to signal financial security and distance oneself from associations with poverty.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 1: Low | 2 – 3: Moderate | 4 – 5: High

A score of 3 indicates a moderate tendency to make image-focused purchases to appear financially secure and avoid being perceived as poor.

example score

2/5

Self-Affirmation (SA)

Measures the extent to which purchases are used to stand out and bolster self-confidence by displaying noticeable items.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 1: Low | 2 – 3: Moderate | 4 – 5: High

A score of 2 indicates a moderate tendency to use visible purchases for self-assertion, typically appearing in certain contexts rather than consistently.

example score

2/5

Fashion (F)

Measures how strongly a person signals status or self-expression by keeping up with fashion trends and choosing trend-forward items.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 1: Low | 2 – 3: Moderate | 4 – 5: High

A score of 2 suggests a moderate tendency to use fashion trends for demonstrative consumption, with occasional attention to new arrivals without making trend-following a main purchase driver.

example score

3/5

Prestige (P)

Measures how strongly a person prioritizes expensive, exclusive purchases as a way to signal and confirm social status.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 1: Low | 2 – 3: Moderate | 4 – 5: High

A score of 3 indicates a moderate prestige-oriented style, where exclusivity and higher price can influence choices but are not the sole drivers of value.

example score

3/5

Creativity (C)

Measures the extent to which a person uses purchases to express creativity and a unique personal style.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 1: Low | 2 – 3: Moderate | 4 – 5: High

A score of 3 indicates a moderate tendency to use consumption for creative self-expression, showing originality in some choices without it being a dominant motive.

example score

3/5

Individuality (I)

Measures how strongly a person uses unusual or exclusive purchases to signal uniqueness and stand out.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 1: Low | 2 – 3: Moderate | 4 – 5: High

A score of 3 indicates a moderate tendency to choose distinctive items at times to express individuality and be noticed, without it being a dominant motive.

example score

2/5

Status Signaling (SS)

Measures how strongly a person uses purchases and style choices to signal social status and group affiliation.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 1: Low | 2 – 3: Moderate | 4 – 5: High

A score of 2 indicates a moderate tendency to consider status signaling in purchases, typically in selective situations rather than as a primary motive.

example score

2/5

Histrionic Traits (HT)

Measures how strongly a person uses bright or extravagant purchases to attract attention and elicit feedback from others.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 1: Low | 2 – 3: Moderate | 4 – 5: High

A score of 2 suggests a moderate tendency to sometimes choose attention-grabbing items, but this is not a dominant motive in most purchases.

example score

14/60

Conspicuousness in Consumption (CiC)

Measures how strongly a person uses purchases and product use to signal status, attract attention, or express identity.

Low demonstrativeness

Moderate demonstrativeness

Excessive demonstrativeness

0 – 19: Low demonstrativeness | 20 – 40: Moderate demonstrativeness | 41 – 60: Excessive demonstrativeness

A score of 14 falls in the low demonstrativeness range, suggesting purchases are generally driven more by practical needs than by signaling status or seeking attention.

Start Online Test

just completed the test

DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Marketing and consumer researchers

41%OF USERS

They use it to segment audiences and understand how status and self-expression drive purchasing decisions.

Financial and behavior counselors

34%OF USERS

They take it to spot showy spending patterns and tailor guidance for healthier money habits.

Status-driven shoppers

25%OF USERS

They take it out of curiosity to see whether their purchases are motivated by attention, image, or social standing.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Discharge (D)

Average

3.9

Normal range

2.8 — 5

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Perfectionism (P)

Average

2.7

Normal range

1.9 — 3.4

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Escape from Poverty (EfP)

Average

1.4

Normal range

0.5 — 2.2

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Self-assertion (S)

Average

2.9

Normal range

2.1 — 3.7

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Fashion (F)

Average

2.1

Normal range

1.5 — 2.7

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Prestige (P)

Average

2.1

Normal range

1.3 — 2.9

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Creativity (C)

Average

2.9

Normal range

2.2 — 3.7

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Individuality (I)

Average

1.5

Normal range

0.7 — 2.3

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Status (S)

Average

2.4

Normal range

1.7 — 3.1

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Histrionicity (H)

Average

2.4

Normal range

1.6 — 3.3

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Degree of Demonstrativeness in Consumption (DoDiC)

Average

16.1

Normal range

7.9 — 24.3

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Start Online Test

Featured On

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Example Questions From the Test

Our possessions communicate information about us without words: clothing, accessories, writing supplies, gadgets, and so forth. Some individuals seek to attract attention through their possessions. This is conspicuous consumption. However, the motives and orientation of such consumption vary. This questionnaire is designed to identify the predominant types of conspicuous consumption and their levels. For each statement, select the response option that best fits from those provided.

- This is not at all characteristic of me
- In some situations, this is true
- Yes, this describes me exactly
- Not at all like me
- Sometimes true
- Completely true of me
- This is not like me at all
- In some cases this is true
- Yes, this describes me exactly

These are 3 of the 30 real questions — the rest appear in the test. No sign-up needed to start.

Start Online Test

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Conspicuous Consumption Tendency Scale Test - Symptoms and Signs

consumption

Purchasing behavior is not always driven by practical need and may be influenced by self-presentation and perceived social standing. The Conspicuous Consumption Tendency Scale is a self-report measure intended to assess an individual’s tendency to use goods and brands in ways that signal status or identity. It was developed by Russell W. Belk.

The instrument includes 30 items and typically requires about 6 minutes to complete. Responses are used to characterize the degree to which conspicuous motives may be present in consumption-related choices; results from the Conspicuous Consumption Tendency Scale are best interpreted in the context of other clinical or assessment information rather than as a stand-alone indicator of functioning.

Author: Russell W. Belk

Literature: Solomon, M. R. Consumer behavior: Buying, having, and being. Pearson. 2013.