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 ...

Prior research has found a link between self-esteem and materialism. However, these studies examine explicit self-esteem without considering implicit self-esteem. We examine if these two forms of self-esteem jointly influence materialism. Specifically, we propose that discrepancies between implicit and explicit self-esteem are an important driver of materialism. Support for our view is presente...

Materialistic youth seem to be languishing while grateful youth seem to be flourishing. High school students (N = 1,035) completed measures of materialism, gratitude, academic functioning, envy, depression, life satisfaction, social integration, and absorption. Using structural equation modeling, we found that gratitude, controlling for materialism, uniquely predicts all outcomes considered: hi...

OBJECTIVE Research among adults suggests that materialism and life satisfaction negatively influence each other, causing a downward spiral. So far, cross-sectional research among children has indicated that materialistic children are less happy, but causality remains uncertain. This study adds to the literature by investigating the longitudinal relation between materialism and life satisfaction...

In this study we investigated materialism among future educators and its relationship with stress and a number of health behaviors. Participants were 228 students (Mean= 20.64 years of age, S.D= 2.571) of the Department of Education Sciences in Early Childhood of the University of Thrace, Greece. The instrument consisted of a short form of the Material Values Scale with three subscales, pertain...

Materialism is the idea that human beings are material objects—brains, perhaps, or some part of the brain—without immaterial selves or souls. I give two arguments against materialism. The first is an argument from possibility: it is possible that I should exist when no part of my body exists, in which case I am not identical with my body or any part of my body. The second is an argument from im...

In this paper I propose a defense of a posteriori materialism. Problems with a posteriori identity materialism are identified, and a materialism based on composition, not identity, is proposed. The main task for such a proposal is to account for the relation between physical and phenomenal properties. Composition does not seem to be fit as a relation between properties, but I offer a peculiar w...

The goals of the current study were to examine whether (a) negative events mediate the relationship between materialism and risky behavior engagement and (b) materialism moderates the relationship between stress and engagement in risky behaviors in Chinese youth. At Time 1, 406 adolescents (ages 14-19) from Yue Yang, China, completed measures assessing engagement in risky behaviors and the occu...

An empirical relationship has been documented between gratitude and materialism, such that stronger feelings of gratitude are associated with lower materialism. Building on Fredrickson’s (1998, 2001) theory that positive emotions ‘broaden’ and ‘build’ we sought to expand upon this finding by (1) examining satisfaction with life as a potential mechanism for this relationship, and (2) exploring t...

s Gibson (1982) correctly points out, despite Quine's brief flirtation with a " mitigated phenomenalism " (Gibson's phrase) in the late 1940's and early 1950's, Quine's ontology of 1953 (" On Mental Entities ") and beyond left no room for non-physical sensory objects or qualities. Anyone familiar with the contemporary neo-dualist qualia-freak-fest might wonder why Quinean lessons were insuffici...