If people go to the mall to buy things when they are feeling depressed,and the purchases make them feel good about themselves or their situation,they are engaging in:

A) rationalization
B) subculture
C) consumerism
D) culture
E) purchased identity

The scenario described involves the act of purchasing goods to improve one's emotional state, which falls under the category of consumerism. Rationalization refers to justifying or excusing one's actions, subculture refers to a group within a larger culture with its own beliefs and practices, culture refers to the shared values and beliefs of a society, and purchased identity is a term that refers to creating a sense of self through material possessions.