Emotion, Sociality, and Capital: The Triple Drivers and Cyclical Logic of Z Generation's Blind Box Consumption

Abstract

This study investigates the blind box consumption phenomenon among China's Z Generation, exploring the social motivations and behavioral logic that go beyond mere shopping. The research finds that blind box consumption is a circular process driven by emotional experience, social interaction and capital transformation. Specifically, consumers initially get products and emotional satisfaction through purchase, experiencing the thrill of surprise and satisfy the desire to collect. Subsequently, by displaying the figurines on social media, they transform material consumption into social capital, obtaining community recognition and prestige, which constitute symbolic capital. For unwanted items, consumers trade or sell on secondary platforms, thus realizing capital recovery and reinvestment, thus continuing the consumption cycle. Therefore, the sequence of Purchase - Display - Trade/Sell forms a complete consumption loop. This study believes that the blind box craze stems from the fact that it accurately meets the comprehensive needs of Generation Z for emotional comfort, identity construction and micro-capital operation in the digital age. The paper also reflects on potential risks within this model, such as over-consumption.