1. Exploring Concepts of Materialism and Postmaterialism
Julia Godzikovskaya, MA Candidate & Ryan Howell, PhD
Background Method Table 2. Predicting SWB, maladaptive consumption,
and its different types with materialism and
 There is lack of clarity in defining concept of Participants (N = 288; 80% female; 82% ≤24 yr postmaterialism1,2
old) recruited from the SFSU student population B(SE) β
materialism.
completed an online survey. Model 1. Predicting SWB, R 2 =
 Few have explored concept of non- .131***
materialism. Results & Discussion Materialism -.26(.06)-.29***
 Theory of postmaterialism (Inglehart, 1990):  Materialism measures were strongly Postmaterialism .12(.08) .11
• materialism is an enduring emphasis on intercorrelated (average r = .57) suggesting Model 2. Predicting Maladaptive Consumption,
2 = .215***
R
physical and economic security; that popular definitions of materialism share a
Materialism .31(.05) .38***
large conceptual overlap.
• postmaterialism is an enduring emphasis on Postmaterialism -.16(.07) -.15*
nonmaterial goals and quality of life;  Postmaterialism measures had weaker
interrelations (average r = .25) suggesting that Model 3. Predicting Compulsive Buying, R 2 =
• materialism and postmaterialism are the .187***
postmaterialism is a broader construct than Materialism .38(.06) .45***
opposite ends of one dimension.
materialism. correlations between
Table 1. Pearson Postmaterialism -.03(.07) -.03
Current Study aggregated measures of Materialism, Model 4. Predicting Material Buying, R 2 =
Postmaterialism, Maladaptive Consumption .225***
Using the framework of postmaterialism theory,
Behaviors, and SWB Materialism .32(.10) .23**
the current study seeks to clarify: 1 2 3 4
Postmaterialism household income,-.57(.12)-.31***
 whether popular definitions of materialism in 1. Materialism - 1
2
Controlling for age, gender, and response bias.
Interaction between materialism and postmaterialism was not
psychology and consumer research and the 2. Postmaterialism -.57** - significant.
3 * p < .05; ** p < .01; *** p < .001
definition proposed by the postmaterialism 3. Maladaptive .49**-.39** -
theory describe distinct or overlapping Consumption Behaviors  Results of regression analyses suggest that
constructs; 4. SWB -.43** .31**-.30** - materialism and postmaterialism have
** p < .01
different implications for consumption
 the concept of postmaterialism and its
relations with materialism, maladaptive
 Correlational results suggest that materialism behaviors and
and postmaterialism may in fact be one- SWB and should be measured separately in
consumption behaviors, and subjective well-
dimensional. future studies.
being (SWB).
Measures • Experiential Buying Tendency Scale (Howell, Selected References
Pchelin, & Iyer, 2011); Ger G. & Belk, R.W. (1996). Cross-cultural differences in
Materialism reverse-scored to assess material buying materialism. Journal of Economic Psychology, 17(1): 55-77.
• Materialism Scale (Ger & Belk, 1996) tendency Howell, R. T., Pchelin, P., & Iyer, R. (2011). The preference for experiences
• Material Values Scale (Richins, 2004) • Credit Card Misuse Scale (Roberts & Jones, over possessions: Measurement and construct validation of the
experiential buying tendency scale. The Journal of Positive Psychology,
• Aspiration Index (Kasser & Ryan, 1993) 2001 (415), 1-43.
• Revised Materialism-Postmaterialism Index • Self-reported debt Inglehart, R. (1990). Culture shift in advanced industrial society.
(Giacalone & Jurkiewicz, 2004) Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
SWB Kasser, T., & Ryan R. M. (1993). A dark side of the American dream:
Postmaterialism • Satisfaction With Life Scale (Diener, Emmons, Correlates of financial success as a central life aspiration. Journal
• Postmaterialism Index (Abramson & Inglehart, Larson, & Griffin, 1985)
of Personality and Social Psychology, 65(2), 410-422.
Richins, M. (2004). The material values scale: Measurement
1995) • Subjective Happiness Scale (Lyubomirsky & properties and development of a short Form. Journal of Consumer
• Revised Materialism-Postmaterialism Index Lepper, 1999) Research, 31, 209-219.