Abstract
- This study argues that obsessive tendencies vary with individuals’ resource availability, supported by a simple mathematical model and indirect empirical
evidence. - Whereas previous research has associated high obsessive tendencies with personality traits like perfectionism and conscientiousness—thereby presuming a
positive correlation with resource levels—we propose an alternative perspective. - Incorporating infection risk into the model, we suggest that individuals with more resources mayexhibit higher obsessive tendencies.
- The existence of a threshold in resource availability may result in a U-shaped relationship between resource levels and obsessive tendencies.