Every Fall, there are ‘limited edition’ offerings of Pumpkin Spice pies, lattes and even Kit Kats.
The ingredients of Pumpkin Spice are usually nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and other spices. These spices have certain chemicals that have sedative and relaxing effects if taken in small doses, and may be a psychoactive reason to crave this holiday special treat.

The Annual Pumpkin Spice Craze

The seasonal treat of Pumpkin Pie is associated with the holidays, celebrations, family gatherings and positive memories.
Big corporations exploit a persuasion tactic called the principle of scarcity, when the ‘limited time’ offering becomes a compelling factor for the consumers to act fast or miss the deal.

Pumpkin Spice Craze: Psychological Reasons

A persuasive factor highlighted in this craze is the Bandwagon Effect, where the popularity and social craze of a particular product (similar to the tulip craze) causes a frenzy among everyone to ‘get with it’ and appear hip and cool.

Pumpkin Spice Craze: The Bandwagon Effect

<h2>
 Why we see so many pumpkin spice products every fall. </h2>
 Posted Oct 23, 2020 <UL><LI><img alt="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn.psychologytoday.com/sites/all/modules/custom/pt_social_media/img/icon-share-round-facebook-md.svg" width="37" height="37"></LI></UL>Pumpkin spice pie (of course), cookies, cake, ice cream, muffins, and breakfast cereal. There are&nbsp;pumpkin spice pop tarts, Jell-o, granola, even pumpkin spice Kit Kats (limited time only). And, the famous pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks!What’s the <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/mating" title="Psychology Today looks at attraction" dir="ltr">attraction</a> to the pumpkin spice food products that predictably appear every fall?<div>article continues after advertisement</div>Physiological ReasonsIs there something intoxicating about pumpkin spice? Perhaps. Pumpkin spice is a combination of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and sometimes other spices. Maybe some of the attraction is chemical. Nutmeg, for example, contains high amounts of myristicin. Related to peyote, myristicin works on the central <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/neuroscience" title="Psychology Today looks at nervous system" dir="ltr">nervous system</a> to enhance the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. This can cause sensations of dizziness, light-headedness, and, in large amounts, <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/conditions/hallucinogen-persisting-perception-disorder" title="Psychology Today looks at hallucinations" dir="ltr">hallucinations</a>.Cinnamon contains eugenol, a substance that has a calming or <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/conditions/sedatives" title="Psychology Today looks at sedative" dir="ltr">sedative</a> effect. Clove has a chemical that relieves pain, similar to novocaine and lidocaine. Finally, ginger is often used to reduce feelings of nausea and may cause a sense of relaxation. Any of these spices, in high dosages, alone or combined, can actually cause serious health risks. Of course, the amounts in pumpkin spice flavorings are minute, but perhaps there are some, slight psychoactive reasons to be attracted to pumpkin spice food products.Psychological ReasonsThere are a number of psychological factors that are behind the attraction to pumpkin spice. Primary among those are cognitive associations of pumpkin spice with positive memories and experiences.Up until recent times, the primary pumpkin spice food was pumpkin pie. Because pumpkins ripen in the fall, pumpkin pie became a staple at holiday dinners—Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. As a result, this seasonal treat became associated with the holidays&nbsp;and with the positive memories of family gatherings, celebrations, and time off from work. So, there are myriad positive emotions and a feeling of nostalgia triggered by pumpkin spice.Social influence factors are also prominent in the pumpkin spice craze. Nobody knows this better than Starbucks and the boost that the pumpkin spice latte (and other holiday-themed beverages) has given to their bottom line. The principle of scarcity, expertly outlined in Robert Cialdini’s research and his book, Influence: The Psychology of <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/persuasion" title="Psychology Today looks at Persuasion" dir="ltr">Persuasion</a>, comes into play. Pumpkin spice latte (and most pumpkin spice-flavored products) are only available for a limited time in the fall/winter. This sense of scarcity is quite compelling and causes customers to “act now before it’s gone” (to use a famous <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/consumer-behavior" title="Psychology Today looks at advertising" dir="ltr">advertising</a> line).<div>article continues after advertisement</div>There may also be a sort of “bandwagon effect,” or what Cialdini calls “social proof” going on. The seeming popularity and proliferation of pumpkin spice products may cause some people to feel like they should “get with it” and be a part of the pumpkin spice craze.So, if you find yourself sipping on your second pumpkin spice latte while munching on that pumpkin spice muffin as your infuser pumps out some pumpkin spice-scented mist&nbsp;in your holiday-decorated kitchen, there may be physical, psychological, and social reasons why.Follow me on Twitter:&nbsp;<a href="http://twitter.com/#!/ronriggio" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">twitter.com/ronriggio</a>ReferencesCialdini, R. (2006). Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. NY: Harper Business.<UL><LI><img alt="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn.psychologytoday.com/sites/all/modules/custom/pt_social_media/img/icon-share-round-facebook-lg.svg" width="45" height="46"></LI></UL>

Understand yourself and those around you.

psychology

Psychology

marketingandsales

Marketing & Sales

Why we see so many pumpkin spice products every fall.

Pumpkin spice pie (of course), cookies, cake, ice cream, muffins, and breakfast cereal. There are pumpkin spice pop tarts, Jell-o, granola, even pumpkin spice Kit Kats (limited time only). And, the famous pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks!

What’s the <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/mating">attraction </a>to the pumpkin spice food products that predictably appear every fall?

Physiological Reasons

Is there something intoxicating about pumpkin spice? Perhaps. Pumpkin spice is a combination of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and sometimes other spices. Maybe some of the attraction is chemical. Nutmeg, for example, contains high amounts of myristicin. Related to peyote, myristicin works on the central <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/neuroscience">nervous system </a>to enhance the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. This can cause sensations of dizziness, light-headedness, and, in large amounts, <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/conditions/hallucinogen-persisting-perception-disorder">hallucinations </a>.

Cinnamon contains eugenol, a substance that has a calming or <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/conditions/sedatives">sedative </a>effect. Clove has a chemical that relieves pain, similar to novocaine and lidocaine. Finally, ginger is often used to reduce feelings of nausea and may cause a sense of relaxation. Any of these spices, in high dosages, alone or combined, can actually cause serious health risks. Of course, the amounts in pumpkin spice flavorings are minute, but perhaps there are some, slight psychoactive reasons to be attracted to pumpkin spice food products.

Psychological Reasons

There are a number of psychological factors that are behind the attraction to pumpkin spice. Primary among those are cognitive associations of pumpkin spice with positive memories and experiences.

Up until recent times, the primary pumpkin spice food was pumpkin pie. Because pumpkins ripen in the fall, pumpkin pie became a staple at holiday dinners—Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. As a result, this seasonal treat became associated with the holidays and with the positive memories of family gatherings, celebrations, and time off from work. So, there are myriad positive emotions and a feeling of nostalgia triggered by pumpkin spice.

Social influence factors are also prominent in the pumpkin spice craze. Nobody knows this better than Starbucks and the boost that the pumpkin spice latte (and other holiday-themed beverages) has given to their bottom line. The principle of scarcity, expertly outlined in Robert Cialdini’s research and his book, Influence: The Psychology of <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/persuasion">Persuasion </a>, comes into play. Pumpkin spice latte (and most pumpkin spice-flavored products) are only available for a limited time in the fall/winter. This sense of scarcity is quite compelling and causes customers to “act now before it’s gone” (to use a famous <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/consumer-behavior">advertising </a>line).

There may also be a sort of “bandwagon effect,” or what Cialdini calls “social proof” going on. The seeming popularity and proliferation of pumpkin spice products may cause some people to feel like they should “get with it” and be a part of the pumpkin spice craze.

So, if you find yourself sipping on your second pumpkin spice latte while munching on that pumpkin spice muffin as your infuser pumps out some pumpkin spice-scented mist in your holiday-decorated kitchen, there may be physical, psychological, and social reasons why.

Follow me on Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/ronriggio">twitter.com/ronriggio </a>

Cialdini, R. (2006). Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. NY: Harper Business.

The Psychology of the Pumpkin Spice Craze

The Annual Pumpkin Spice Craze

Pumpkin Spice Craze: Psychological Reasons

Pumpkin Spice Craze: The Bandwagon Effect

Alexandria Q.'s ideas are part of this journey:

Related collections

Similar ideas