Why do men get bored after only 26 minutes of shopping?

do you like shopping?

The answer may depend in part on whether you are male or female, although it is wrong to generalize that "all women like shopping, and all men do not."

Of course, there are people to whom this generalization does not apply.

So far, there is no evidence to suggest that women shop more than men, but there is evidence that females enjoy shopping more than males.

In 2013, a study of 2,000 shoppers in the UK found that men were tired of shopping within 26 minutes, while women were tired of shopping after about two hours, often because they hadn't found anything they liked or an item they intended to buy.

Men and the ordeal of shopping with women

You can unleash the imagination of the plight of male shoppers accompanying their wives in malls, the same study found that nearly half of marital shopping trips ended in controversy, with men frustrated that they bought what they needed immediately, at a time when their wives were still searching and taking Too long to make decisions.

Men often get bored of shopping when their partner takes time to make a decision, or when they are thirsty or hungry.

And crowded stores and no TV show or sports game just add to their boredom.

The study also found that about 48% of men are bored with their shopping trip, wandering to a different area, while a third disappears into a completely different store.

In contrast, only 1 in 3 women sit outside the store waiting for their partner.

According to Business, researchers have found that more than 1 in 4 men admitted to being so bored with their shopping trip that they abandoned their wives and went home alone.

The study also found that 80% of men disliked shopping with their partners, and 45% avoided doing so at all costs.

The researchers also found that 58 percent of men would be more likely to act at least as if they were enjoying a shopping trip if they were promised a reward at the end of it.

To make sure that men do not discourage their wives from shopping and buying what they want, some malls have set up day care centers for older men, who can relax and watch TV with snacks and drinks while their women empty their wallets without inconvenience.

Most women spend long hours shopping and buying items they don't necessarily need (Getty Images)

Why are the sexes different?

According to the Economic Times, one theory is that hundreds of thousands of years of adaptation make men and women behave like this.

When our ancestors lived in caves, the males went out to hunt animals while the females collected food (fruits, vegetables, and berries) from the forests.

For the male hunters, it was necessary to hunt quickly and return to safety in the settlement as quickly as possible, and this is how some men shop now.

But the fruit-collecting women were in no hurry.

For them, foraging was also a social event, as they bonded with other females of the tribe, carefully examining every bush and tree and choosing the best quality food available.

This is how many women still shop, compare products, look for alternatives, and exchange notes with female friends and colleagues.

This hunter-gatherer theory gains more credibility after research finds that men like to shop alone, while women prefer to go out with other women.

The British study found that 80% of men preferred to shop alone, possibly because hunting was rarely a social event.

The hunting group had to keep silent lest their speech alert the prey.

In contrast, university women did not have such restrictions because they searched for food and exchanged rumours.

Knowing the results of these studies may help us overcome the urge to buy unnecessary items (Getty Images)

Women are the breadwinners of the ancient society

Psychologytoday stated that it is interesting for scientists to know that women were the main "breadwinners" in ancient hunting and gathering groups.

Anthropologists estimate that the community of women provided about 80% to 90% of the food for the groups. The diet was largely vegetarian, with a variety of fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts, all eaten raw, and only about 10% and 20% meat.

Then, around 8000 BC, human societies began to shift to agriculture in the Middle East.

Slowly over the following millennia, the practice spread widely throughout Asia and Europe.

In 2009, anthropologists Kruger and Baker discovered very clear parallels between the modern shopping habits of men and women, and our hunter-gatherer past.

They found that women scored higher in skills and behaviors related to gathering, even though the environment and objects collected in our ancestors' environment changed, while men scored higher in skills and behaviors related to hunting.

The research found that women were more likely to spend a lot of time walking around the mall, while men were more likely to buy what they needed and leave immediately.

According to Psychology Today, knowing the results of these studies may help us overcome the urge to buy unnecessary goods, things we may not be able to afford and often bring us no happiness, often produced by low-wage, exploited workers in poorer parts of the world. It contributes to environmental degradation due to massive mass consumption.

Once you understand the causes of the behavior, it becomes easier to control and overcome.

We're not saying we should stop shopping, but maybe we should shop more rationally, and make our purchases more in line with our needs than our desires.