Materialism: Origins and implications for personal well-being

This study has two main parts. First wc cxplorc thc relationship bctwccn materialism and life satisfaction. Findings from previous research are reviewed and replicated, showing that materialism is negatively associated with life satisfaction. These findings are extended by exploring in more detail what dimensions of materialism are most closely associated with various aspects of life satisfaction. Second, we test the psychological mechanism underlying a major theory of the origins of materialistic values (Inglehart 1990). Contrary Lo expectations, this psychological mechanism is strongly disconfirmed by the data. A possible alternative mechanism is proposed in the conclusion. Materialism: Origins and Implications for Personal Well-be in^ Recently, materialism has caught the attention of consumer hehavior researchers due to this topic's importance to marketing practitioners, social critics, public policy makers, and theorists alike. Because materialists place a high level of importance on acquiring more possessions (Belk 1985a, Fournier & Richins 1991, Richins & Dawson 1992), ~r~arkeLws Imdy wish lo learn how to better position their products to appeal to consumers ' materialistic desires. Because high levels of materialism have been empiricall