How Collectors Deceive Their Partners

"In relationships, small financial deceptions are surprisingly common. A recent study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (T Wirga et al., 2022) reveals the extent to which collectors also hide their spending from their partners, with striking differences in how men and women employ deception strategies. Both male and female collectors systematically concealed their expenses from their partners. However, the scale and methods of deception differed significantly between genders."

"Male collectors spent substantially more than women and were less likely to reduce these expenditures. On average, men underreported their collecting expenses by approximately 30 percent. However, the percentage of concealment varied with spending levels. Men spending between $50 and $500 USD per month underreported by approximately 15 percent, whereas those spending over $501 USD underreported by approximately 38 percent. Notably, men who spent more than $1,150 USD monthly stopped informing their partners about additional purchases altogether, suggesting potentially addictive collecting behavior."

One hundred twenty collectors in Poland who regularly spent money on collecting activities such as model-making were surveyed, with participants recruited from collector clubs, gatherings, and local events. Both male and female collectors systematically concealed expenses from partners, but methods and scale varied by gender. Male collectors spent substantially more and underreported expenses by about 30% on average, with underreporting rising from ~15% ($50–$500/month) to ~38% (>$501/month) and those spending >$1,150/month ceasing to inform partners. Female collectors underreported by about 45% on average; 23% adopted a ceiling approach to conceal spending.

Read at Psychology Today