Materialism among adolescents in urban China

This study provides empirical data to test a proposed theoretical model on adolescents’ endorsement of materialistic values that is based on John’s (1999) model of consumer socialization of children and Kasser, Rayan Couchman and Sheldon’s (2004) model of materialistic value orientation. A survey of 730 adolescents aged 11 to 19 in Beijing was conducted in March 2003 using Richins and Dawson’s (1992) materialism scale. Results indicated that Chinese young people scored 3.9 on a 7-point scale of materialism. The proposed model accounted for 15 percent of the variance of adolescents’ materialism scores. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that motives of advertising viewing and peer communication about consumption were more important in predicting materialism than age and family communication. Adolescents who reported high level of social motives for ad viewing and adolescents who communicate frequently with peers about consumption were more materialistic. Level of television viewing and gender had no effect on materialism when other variables were controlled. (156 words)