Why Women Love to Shop, and Men Hate It?

You see it all the time. Women going up and down the mall with their girlfriends.And their husbands… sitting miserably outside the store. There’s a good explanation for it, and it’s rooted in our evolution.

Men were traditionally hunters. We had no need to look at all the sheep in the field. All we wanted to do was find one weak sheep, kill it, and get it away from the competition. These same instincts still drive men when they shop. They want to narrow the focus… find one thing… make it quick… and get the heck out of the store. And when they’re done shopping – they’re really done. There’s no looking back. The thought of doing so is depressing.

But women, on the other hand, were primarily gatherers. They gathered alongside other female tribe members to pick the most productive berries and the best nuts. And today that partly explains why women love to shop so much. Why they’ll spend countless hours searching for the perfect shoes, handbag, or dress – and of course, the perfect deal.

But evolution isn’t the only explanation for this. There’s a biological process at work here, too. It involves hormones.

Women stay energized while shopping, because it gives them secretions of serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical in the brain known as a “neurotransmitter” that regulates mood and reduces anxiety and depression. The higher your levels of it, the better you feel.

On the other hand, shopping wears men out because it depletes their dopamine levels. This feel-good hormone helps to direct your thinking and behavior – and keeps you energized and motivated. Men and women have both hormones, but their levels vary throughout the day. For example, men tend to have low dopamine levels at the end of the day, and women tend to have lower serotonin levels. And this triggers the evolutionary dance, once again…

Women want to talk to their husbands and vent their frustrations when they get home. They’re looking for that same sense of community that native women shared as they gathered nuts and berries together. But usually men just aren’t having it at the end of a busy day. Just like native hunters, their work is done. They just want to rest. Both of these gender behaviors are natural ways to boost low hormone levels – rooted in our past. But they can lead to “lovers’ quarrels,” too.

One of the best ways to avoid these types of petty clashes with your partner is to keep your serotonin and dopamine levels in check through regular exercise.