Disposing of the self: the role of attachment in the disposition process

It is well established that individuals have strong attachment to many possessions, but they cannot keep all these possessions forever. Disposition has received relatively limited attention in the literature though it is clear that disposition is significantly influenced by attachment. We review the burgeoning number of studies examining how possession attachment influences disposition. Attachment is influential at each stage of the disposition process, from the decision to stop using an object, the decision to dispose of an object, and the choice of disposal type. We end with a call for further research on disposal, particularly that which considers the role of object attachment at earlier stages of the disposition process.