Mom's shopping cart decision challenges social norms

A psychologist from Los Angeles kicked off a heated debate about shopping cart etiquette.  

A controversial video from an L.A.-based psychologist sparked a fiery online argument over whether it's okay to ditch your shopping cart in the parking lot instead of returning it.

Clinical and forensic psychologist Leslie Dobson posted videos to TikTok and Instagram last week saying she doesn't bother returning her cart after grocery shopping. Dobson's videos racked up over 11 million views and drew intense criticism from viewers calling her lazy and entitled for being a mom who doesn't return her cart.

"I'm not returning my shopping cart, and you can judge me all you want," Dobson boldly declared in the clip. "I'm not going to load up my groceries, get my kids in the car, and then leave them alone in the vehicle just to return the damn cart," she stated.

While many blasted Dobson's stance as inconsiderate, she maintains her controversial take stems from concerns over safety rather than convenience. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, the mother of two young children explained she doesn't feel secure leaving her kids unattended in a parking lot, even briefly.

She cited statistics that 265 children were abducted from parking lots during car thefts in the U.S. last year.

The concept of using cart returns as a barometer for moral character has been popularized as the "shopping cart theory." It posits whether someone takes the modest effort to return a cart provides insight into their self-governance and consideration for others.

Dobson says she always returns carts aside from instances where she feels parking lots pose a risk. She hoped her videos would spark productive dialogue about prioritizing personal safety over subjective social conventions.

While the back-and-forth online highlighted strongly held views on the matter, the furor also underscored the sentiment some attach to the seemingly mundane choice of where to leave a shopping cart.