Social and legal prerequisites for hoarding by condo residents in Russia

Abstract

Consumerism is an inherent feature of a modern consumer-minded society which enhances in some people both a hunger for collecting and a more serious desire developing into oniomania (shopping mania, shopaholism), kleptomania or pathological hoarding (syllogomania, Diogenes syndrome, Plyushkin’s syndrome). The paper proposes an interdisciplinary approach to the problem of pathological hoarding of unnecessary things and domestic animals by tenants of condominiums in Russian cities. Socio-legal prerequisites for this psychosocial disease still insufficiently studied in the country are also analyzed in the paper. The data of the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation and various legal acts were examined. In the course of the study, methods of quality content analysis and visual sociology were used to analyze cases of pathological hoarding highlighted in Russian digital media in recent years. The Clutter-Hoarding Scale and Clutter Image Rating Scale were used to interpret photos of cluttered Russian flats in condos. In conclusion, recommendations are given on improving state policy and the legislation of the Russian Federation.