IKEA is a Swedish multinational company renowned for offering affordable, modern furniture that customers assemble themselves at home. In sync with the nature of the company, the term “IKEA effect” was coined in a 2011 paper published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology.

According to which, the IKEA effect refers to the increased value that people place on objects they have had little role to play in creating. This phenomenon explains that the effort and personal investment put into creating something leads to a stronger attachment and makes us perceive it beyond its actual value.

According to the study, the reason people tend to overvalue the items they’ve made themselves is connected to the effort they invest in them. The act of constructing something on our own, whether it’s assembling furniture or creating a project from scratch, makes us feel a sense of accomplishment. 

This feeling of achievement increases our attachment to the object, often to the point where we view it as more valuable than it actually is. The more effort we put into something, the more we value it. 

Another critical factor in the IKEA effect is the success of the task. People derive satisfaction not only from the effort itself but also from the successful completion of the task. According to experts, this need for success is tied to a fundamental human desire to feel competent and in control. Successfully completing tasks, like building a piece of furniture or completing a personal project, reinforces our sense of competence, boosting our self-esteem and satisfaction.

Studies show that people with higher self-esteem tend to feel better physically. One reason? A part of the brain called the hippocampus helps link self-esteem to our health.

When we feel good about ourselves, we handle stress better and are less likely to get sick. But, when self-esteem is low, we might turn to unhealthy habits like smoking, drinking, or using drugs, things that can harm our health.

Based on this evidence, self-esteem may be related to physical health by proper stress management and by making healthier choices, leading to better overall health.

While the immediate sense of accomplishment and increased attachment to our creations can certainly feel rewarding, the underlying effects of this phenomenon might be more complex. On the positive side, the IKEA effect taps into our natural desire to feel competent and in control, which can have beneficial effects on our self-esteem and emotional well-being. 

However, it’s important to acknowledge that the IKEA effect might also encourage us to overvalue our creations, which could lead to unrealistic expectations or attachment to objects that don’t hold real value. This could result in unnecessary clutter or excessive pride in something that was made with minimal effort or expertise. Ultimately, the key to benefiting from the IKEA effect lies in finding a balance between valuing our efforts and maintaining a realistic perspective on the true worth of the things we create!