Comfortability of the Object

What it measures

A five-item scale measuring the sense of comfort, safety, and security a consumer derives from a specific possession through physical interaction with it — holding, touching, or having it present. Items contain a blank for the focal object and span emotional comfort, safety and security, calming effects of physical touch, and the reassuring sense of the object's presence. Developed to measure the comforting function of a possession independent of its instrumental utility.

Representative items

• I feel a sense of comfort when I use my _____.
• When using my _____ I feel safe and secure.
• Touching or holding my _____ makes me feel calmer.

Citation

Melumad, Shiri and Robert Meyer (2020). The dark side of the smartphone: An investigation of smartphone-induced failures of self-regulation. Journal of Consumer Research, 47(2), 17–40. [Also applied: Melumad, Shiri and Michel Tuan Pham (2020). Journal of Marketing Research, 57(2), 236–256.]