Holiday shopping — especially last-minute — can be stressful, but some efforts to save time or money can actually make the experience worse, a Christopher Newport University professor of psychology says.

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Andrew Velkey II, director of CNU's neuroscience program, studied the behaviors behind how people seek out parking spots and has taken an interest in others' research about impulse control. He teaches a seminar on self-control at the university.

Velkey said research shows that the behaviors people naturally deploy to save time or to cut corners tend to have the opposite effect.

In his research, Velkey observed parking behaviors in different types of lots, including a Wal-mart parking lot. He found that people who drive around looking for a spot closer to a building usually don't save any more time than if they park farther away and walk.

"People using active search … are actually just wasting time," he said.

Velkey said he noticed in his studies that men are more likely to just pick a row and pick a spot, whereas women tend to use the active search method more frequently. Although he said he has not studied the role of gender in these decisions.

Velkey said his findings compare with others' research about driving habits. People who constantly switch lanes to try to get ahead in traffic disrupt the overall flow and make the problems worse.

"They're actually slowing (traffic) down by their behavior," he said.

The human inclination for immediate gratification and our desire to save money can also get us in trouble, he said.

Velkey said he tells students in his seminar that they should research what they plan to buy before heading to the store, and then make a list and stick to it. Shoppers tend to get distracted by strategically-placed "deals," which costs them both time and money they didn't plan to spend.

He also advises shoppers to not bring credit cards inside the store.

"Something as simple as leaving your credit cards in locked glove boxes can help," he said.

People tend to want the immediate gratification of getting a good deal without considering long-term credit card debt and accumulating interest on the purchase. Often the time during the walk back out to the car will allow shoppers to decide if the purchase is worthwhile, he said.

Velkey's last piece of advice: Keep it simple.

People tend to overstress themselves by trying to find the perfect gifts, and they tend to rush around forgetting the holiday memories they cherish the most.

"It's about family. It's about relaxing and enjoying ... people put a lot of (unnecessary) pressure on themselves," he said. "I think trying to simplify it would really help a lot."

Pawlowski can be reached by phone at 757-247-7478.

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