Loving your car or gun? Yes pet!

WASHINGTON - The way people treat their possessions looks like they are in love with them, says a new study.

“Is it possible for consumers to be in love with their possessions?” ask authors John L.Lastovicka and Nancy J.Sirianni from Arizona State and Texas Christian universities, respectively.

When it comes to cars, computers, bicycles and firearms, the answer seems to be a resounding yes, the Journal of Consumer Research reports.

The researchers visited five car shows in Arizona and conducted in-depth interviews with car enthusiasts (males and females, aged 19-68).

They found that love-smitten consumers were more likely to use pet names than brand names when describing their cars and that some people seemed to use their attachment to cars to remedy pain and disappointment in their romantic lives.

The researchers found various combinations of passion, intimacy and commitment in consumers’ relationships, according to an Arizona and Texas statement.

“Consumers felt a passion or a relentless drive to be with their beloved possession, and this often manifested in gazing at and caressing their cars, and even some love-at-first-sight purchase decisions,” the authors write.

People nurture relationships with their beloved possessions, investing time and money to improve them and becoming fluent in understanding their details.

“We found love-smitten consumers spent six times more on accessories and enhancements for their prized guns than firearm owners who did not demonstrate passion, intimacy, or commitment toward their guns,” the authors write.