Diderot Effect
The phenomenon where acquiring one new possession triggers a cascade of further purchases to match it. A new couch leads to new pillows, then a new rug, then a new room.
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Origin
Named after French philosopher Denis Diderot, who described the phenomenon in his 1769 essay "Regrets on Parting with My Old Dressing Gown". After receiving a beautiful new scarlet robe as a gift, Diderot found that his other possessions looked shabby by comparison — and replaced them one by one until his entire study had been transformed. The term was coined by anthropologist Grant McCracken in 1988.
Updated February 22, 2026