Final answer:
The primary distinction between a shopper/collector and a hoarder is the level of emotional attachment to items, with hoarders having difficulty discarding possessions, leading to significant clutter.
Step-by-step explanation:
The key difference between someone who likes to shop and collect and a hoarder typically revolves around the aspect of emotional attachment to the items. According to a study by Mataix-Cols et al. (2010), hoarding disorder, which was proposed as a new diagnosis for DSM-V, is characterized by excessive accumulation of items, regardless of their actual value. Unlike a person who enjoys collecting or shopping, a hoarder will experience extreme difficulty parting with possessions, leading to clutter that disrupts their living space and day-to-day functioning.
Other factors that differentiate hoarding from collecting include the organization of items, where collectors often take pride in displaying and maintaining their items systematically, whereas hoarders may live in a state of disarray. Thus, the correct answer to the question about the difference between someone who likes to shop and collect and a hoarder is A. Emotional attachment.
Answer: A. Emotional attachment