# Psychological link between bowel movements and department stores?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychological-link-between-bowel-movements-and-department-stores/381618>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 24, 2006, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychological-link-between-bowel-movements-and-department-stores/381618 "2006-11-24T05:40:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Nothing\_Special](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9f8e36/32.png) [@Nothing\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nothing_Special)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychological-link-between-bowel-movements-and-department-stores/381618/21 "2006-11-25T01:45:28Z")

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For most people, spending money is tantamout to defecating.

They hit a mall, and immediately have the urge to shit.

Then they shit, and it feels good, and they go on and shit some more, with their money.

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**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychological-link-between-bowel-movements-and-department-stores/381618/22 "2006-11-25T02:34:40Z")

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[QUOTE=cainxinth]  
I’d say we’ve got some pretty strong anecdotal evidence to confirm this is real. So the question is why does it happen? I’m getting a hunch it has more to do with confirmation bias than anything else. I’m sure you walk into a store a hundred times without feeling anything, but the few times you do feel the urge to go you assume the two things are connected.  
[/QUOTE]

But I don’t ever really get the urge to go in public _unless_ I’m at a book store. Its weird.

-FrL-

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**Author:** ![toadbriar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@toadbriar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadbriar)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychological-link-between-bowel-movements-and-department-stores/381618/23 "2006-11-25T08:33:19Z")

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A relevant Ask Metafilter thread confirms the phenomenon: [Bookstores: the natural laxative? - feces toilet shit | Ask MetaFilter](http://ask.metafilter.com/mefi/19556)

Because of this curious effect, stores with nice ample public restroom facilities get my money. A giant grocery store the size of a city block with just a tiny, cramped one-person, unisex restroom off the backroom? (I’m lookin at you, Ralphs in Southern California) Blech, I’ll not go back even if their prices are best. It’s not worth it if I get caught short and then have to do my business while someone keeps jiggling the handle and I know they can’t go away to another stall.

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**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychological-link-between-bowel-movements-and-department-stores/381618/24 "2006-11-25T09:36:46Z")

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[QUOTE=Nothing Special]  
For most people, spending money is tantamout to defecating.

They hit a mall, and immediately have the urge to shit.

Then they shit, and it feels good, and they go on and shit some more, with their money.  
[/QUOTE]  
That being the case, the local mall must have a stall with my buddy’s wife’s name on it. 😛

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