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Bidirectional Dynamics of Materialism and Loneliness: Not Just a Vicious Cycle
Abstract
This research is the first to test the hypothesis that consumers face a “material trap” in which materialism fosters social isolation which in turn reinforces materialism. It provides evidence that materialism and loneliness are engaged in bidirectional relationships over time. Importantly, it finds that loneliness contributes more to materialism than the other way around. Moreover, it finds that materialism’s contribution to loneliness is not uniformly vicious but critically differs between specific subtypes of materialism. That is, valuing possessions as a happiness medicine or as a success measure increased loneliness, and these subtypes also increased most due to loneliness. Yet seeking possessions for material mirth decreased loneliness and was unaffected by it. These findings are based on longitudinal data from over 2,500 consumers across 6 years and a new latent growth model. They reveal how materialism and loneliness form a self-perpetuating vicious and virtuous cycle depending on the materialism subtype.
... First, materialism develops during childhood and becomes more pronounced during adolescence (Flurry et al., 2021). Prior work shows that this materialism contributes to a reduced sense of well-being and other psychological disorders, such as depression or neuroticism (for a review, Burroughs & Rindfleisch, 2002;Pieters, 2013), and to various addictive behaviors, including to cellphones (Lee et al., 2014(Lee et al., , 2018Roberts et al., 2015). However, no research has investigated the link between materialism and nomophobia, particularly among Gen Z youth. ...
... Nomophobia, a new type of behavioral addiction, is characterized by feelings of anxiety and restlessness (Arpaci & Gundogan, 2020), and it has been suggested to be listed as a situational phobia in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Bragazzi & Puente, 2014). Prior research has shown that materialism is a predictor of anxiety, depression, and psychological disorders in conduct-problem development (O'Guinn & Faber, 1989; for a review, Burroughs & Rindfleisch, 2002;Pieters, 2013) and promotes addictive behaviors, such as internet use (Reto, 2006) and cellphone addiction (Lee et al., 2018). Thus, it is reasonable to expect that materialism is positively related to nomophobia. ...
... Individuals are materialistic as a function of their endorsement of at least one of the following three beliefs about acquisition and/or possessions: They are needed for happiness (Happiness dimension), they may indicate success (Success dimension), or they are central to the self (Centrality dimension). These three materialistic values do not have a uniform impact (Górnik-Durose, 2019;Pieters, 2013). They are all likely to increase the insatiable desire to possess more and, in turn, increase anxiety and nomophobia. ...
Why do young people from Generation Z (born between 1995 and the mid-2000s) become nomophobic consumers of smartphones? This research aims for a better understanding of nomophobia, the fear of being without mobile phone contact, and this from a cross-national perspective. Data collected from 1,326 young people (aged 16-24) from Brazil, China, France, and the United States demonstrate that nomophobia is positively related to materialism, the value that consumers place on the acquisition of material objects. A structural equation model shows that the different dimensions of materialism do not affect nomophobia uniformly across national identity. Nomophobia is positively related to the happiness dimension (possessions needed for happiness) in Brazil, to the success dimension (possessions as indicators of success) in China, and to the centrality dimension (possessions as central for the self) in France and the United States. These findings have notable implications for practitioners and researchers.
... Most of this research assumes that higher levels of materialism lead to lower wellbeing in part because the prioritization of materialism conflicts with the pursuit of intrinsic goals such as self-acceptance and affiliation, thereby reducing subjective well-being (Burroughs & Rindfleisch, 2002;Kasser, 2016). However, a reverse directionality could be present as well, such that lower levels of well-being trigger materialism because it can help cope with feelings of low self-esteem (Chaplin & John, 2010), uncertainty (Chang & Arkin, 2002), and loneliness (Pieters, 2013). Building on these findings, Richins (2017) proposed that materialists may be more vulnerable to daily threats, resulting in psychological discomfort, and efforts to reduce this discomfort reinforce these materialistic tendencies, implying a bidirectional association between materialism and well-being that unfolds over time. ...
... The three facets are conceptualized as components of the more general materialism construct that "normally act in concert with respect to external variables" (Richins & Dawson, 1992, p. 310). There is, however, mounting evidence that the relations between materialism and well-being can differ markedly across the three facets (Roberts et al., 2005;Pieters, 2013; Table S1, MDA) and that the negative relation between composite materialism and subjective well-being is primarily driven by a negative relation between the happiness facet and subjective well-being. Thus, we assess the potentially bidirectional relations between materialism and life satisfaction both at the composite and facet level of materialism. ...
... Third, our findings crucially depend on the timing between measurement waves (Dormann & Griffin, 2015). Although measurement intervals of 6-12 months are consistent with prior longitudinal research (Jiang et al., 2016;Kasser et al., 2014;Pieters, 2013;Wang et al., 2017), it could be that effects between materialism and well-being either occur more quickly and then dissipate or occur over longer time periods. Experimental research indeed suggests that exposure to consumer cues, such as pictures of luxury goods, can activate short-term competitiveness and increased negative affect (Bauer et al., 2012). ...
The negative association between materialism and life satisfaction is well‐documented, but it is unclear what the directionality of the association is. To address this issue, we (a) conducted a three‐wave longitudinal study ( N = 6551) over 3 years and examined the bidirectional relations between life satisfaction and materialism as a composite measure and with each of its three facets (happiness, success, and centrality), and (b) estimated Random Intercept Cross‐Lagged Panel Models (RI‐CLPMs) that separate inter‐ and intra‐individual effects and compared them with traditional CLPMs that do not. The traditional CLPM showed bidirectional negative associations between composite materialism and life satisfaction and strong negative bidirectional association for the happiness facet, but positive effects of the centrality facet on life satisfaction. However, and importantly, the RI‐CLPM revealed that these relations exist predominantly between people. Within people, materialism does not impact life satisfaction, but life satisfaction does impact the happiness facet negatively. These findings challenge common ideas that the direction of the effect is from materialism to life satisfaction and that it is unilaterally negative.
... Thirdly there is a suggestion that materialists hold unrealistic expectations and buying compensates for disappointment [11]. Finally, there is the suggestion that materialism leads to loneliness and buying compensates [12]. ...
... The model for wellbeing shows a strong negative relationship between shopping addiction, loneliness and wellbeing suggesting that compulsive shoppers are more likely to be lonely and have lower wellbeing. The link between loneliness and wellbeing supports previous evidence [16,12]. From the same model more resilient individuals have better wellbeing. ...
... The data is cross-sectional and precludes any causal claims, but it does suggest that the model provided in Figures 1 and 2 has some utility. Elements of the model are supported by previous research in that loneliness is a factor in shopping addiction [16,12], as is sensitivity to social rejection [18]. Rejection sensitivity has been shown to be related to problematic relationships [18] and has been related to other forms of addiction [33]. ...
... Loneliness was a global issue even before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic (Fumagalli et al., 2022). People in modern societies worldwide have explicitly reported their loneliness, which is increasingly prevalent (Pieters, 2013;Kim and Jang, 2017;Wang et al., 2021). Loneliness has been acknowledged as a phenomenon resulting from global societal shifts and changing demographics, including reduced family sizes, fragmented family structures, increased relocation frequencies, growing metropolitan cities, more technology use, and aging populations (Mittal and Silvera, 2018). ...
... Consumers are not immune to loneliness Dalman et al., 2021). Increasing research attention has been paid to the phenomenon of consumer loneliness (CL) in various contexts (Pieters, 2013;Pittman and Reich, 2016;Tan and Lu, 2019;Odekerken-Schröder et al., 2020;Loh et al., 2021). Despite the proliferation of research on CL, the literature is neither coherent nor explanatory and has provided an inadequate understanding of CL. ...
... Lonely consumers may consider acquiring possessions to show their status to others (Mandel et al., 2017). Although this "possession effect" recedes over time, it temporarily reduces CL (Pieters, 2013). Purchasing products that reflect a group affiliation (e.g., majorityendorsed sneakers) or consuming peer-recommended services (e.g., restaurants) helps achieve the assurance of consumers' social self. ...
Treading on the heels of the spread of the coronavirus, the “loneliness virus” has been capturing territories globally. Consumers are not immune to loneliness. Although academics and the general public have recognized the devastating effects of loneliness, the academic attention given to consumer loneliness (CL) is scattered and fragmentary. The purpose of this article is to systematically review the antecedents (predictors and alleviators) and consequences (consumer behaviors, emotions, preferences, attitudes, and cognition) of CL in various consumption contexts. This review also presents findings on CL as a mediator and moderator in consumer studies. This work adds to the growing body of CL literature by synthesizing the existing findings and knowledge. More importantly, we present a future research agenda by linking CL to significant research lines and detailed implications for practitioners in the marketplace.
... Research suggests that the long-term outcome of compensatory consumption strategies may depend on the consumer's underlying motives (Shrum et al., 2014). On one hand, the long-term tendency to view one's possessions as a solution to a problem, such as feeling lonely or socially excluded, can lead to a "vicious cycle," in which one's possessions crowd out social relationships and lead to even more loneliness (Pieters, 2013). On the other hand, acquiring possessions for discrepancy-unrelated reasons may be less harmful, and even helpful in the long-term (Pieters, 2013). ...
... On one hand, the long-term tendency to view one's possessions as a solution to a problem, such as feeling lonely or socially excluded, can lead to a "vicious cycle," in which one's possessions crowd out social relationships and lead to even more loneliness (Pieters, 2013). On the other hand, acquiring possessions for discrepancy-unrelated reasons may be less harmful, and even helpful in the long-term (Pieters, 2013). For instance, the consumption of high-status products can assist people in finding long-term (as well as short-term) relationship partners (Griskevicius et al., 2007). ...
In the last two years, consumers have experienced massive changes in consumption – whether due to shifts in habits; the changing information landscape; challenges to their identity, or new economic experiences of scarcity or abundance. What can we expect from these experiences? How are the world's leading thinkers applying both foundational knowledge and novel insights as we seek to understand consumer psychology in a constantly changing landscape? And how can informed readers both contribute to and evaluate our knowledge? This handbook offers a critical overview of both fundamental topics in consumer psychology and those that are of prominence in the contemporary marketplace, beginning with an examination of individual psychology and broadening to topics related to wider cultural and marketplace systems. The Cambridge Handbook of Consumer Psychology, 2nd edition, will act as a valuable guide for teachers and graduate and undergraduate students in psychology, marketing, management, economics, sociology, and anthropology.
... This behavior is largely driven by the belief that owning the right stuff will enhance our potency (Alderson, 1965) and bolster our identity (Ahuvia, 2005;Belk, 2013). Indeed, buying and owning the right type of possessions can sometimes create a favorable impression (Shrum et al., 2014), boost one's mood (Hudders & Pandelaere, 2012;Pieters, 2013), and of course provide a wide range of practical benefits. ...
... These proposals can be divided into two broad schools of thought. The first school is based on the assumption that materialism is a value or a coping response that is acquired due to either childhood insecurity (Norris et al., 2012), overexposure to materialistic messages (Ahuvia & Wong, 2002;Rindfleisch et al., 1997;Shrum et al., 2005), parents that made extensive use of material goods to express their love and induce good behavior (Richins & Chaplin, 2015), or current loneliness (Pieters, 2013). According to this view, materialism may be prevented by limiting children's exposure to materialistic advertising on television and other media (Shrum et al., 2005;Twenge & Kasser, 2013) or enhancing their sense of gratitude (Chaplin et al., 2019). ...
... These studies are limited in numbers and did not evaluate the holistic effect of related ongoing and essential factors on consumer impulsive buying behavior. Materialistic beliefs and the enjoyment tendency of doing shopping can be considered as inherent sides of a consumer (Beatty & Ferrell, 1998;Pieters, 2013). Still, no contribution has been made to the literature regarding these aspects. ...
... Garðarsdóttir & Dittmar, 2012;Zarco, 2014) and IBB (Bae, 2012;Dittmar & Bond, 2010;Wu, 2006). Persons with a high tendency to materialism are expected to have less self-regard (Christopher et al., 2009;Richins & Dawson, 1992), more likely to be tense (Mueller et al., 2011) and feel loneliness (Pieters, 2013). It is assumed that to overcome their depression, they are expected to do more impulse buying as indicated by some of the studies in the past that there ...
The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of Personality, shopping enjoyment tendency, materialism, impulse buying tendency, and cultural dimension namely collectivism and individualism on impulse buying behavior. This study employed a quantitative approach that involved a convenience sampling technique to collect data from customers (n=320) using a structured survey. Structured Equation Modeling was applied to analyze data by using AMOS 24. According to the study's findings, shopping enjoyment tendency and materialism strongly affect impulse buying. Further, buyers with a high tendency to impulsiveness, buy more spontaneously. More importantly, the findings revealed that personality traits; neuroticism and extraversion, have also a strongly positive impact on consumers’ IBB. This study provides important information regarding the buying behavior of consumers from the retail sector of a developing nation and checks the effect of the above-mentioned important factors on consumers’ impulse buying. The outcomes of this study will help retailers and marketers to develop effective strategies in accordance with consumer buying behavior.
... Of course, some people may not even be aware that their feelings are, indeed, loneliness (Fromm-Reichmann, 1959). 56 Pieters, 2013 Besides being painful, loneliness is highly stigmatized. It is often perceived as a personal failure. ...
... Individuals from collectivistic cultures are actually more prone to loneliness than those from individualistic cultures because they have a stronger preference for social contact and, therefore, experience greater distress when their needs are not met. 292 Culture may also affect attitudes regarding remarriage: not all 288 de Jong Gierveld & Tesch-Römer, 2012;Fokkema et al., 2012;Hansen & Slagsvold, 2015289 Konnikova, 2013Marche, 2012;Turkle, 2011290 Hobbes, 2017Olds & Schwartz, 2009;Pieters, 2013;Stanley, et al., 2010;Van der Geest, 2004;Vancouver Foundation, 2017. 291 Bereznai, 2006;DePaulo, 2006. ...
... Öte yandan literatüre bakıldığında, materyalizm ile kişilerin iyi oluşları; yaşam kaliteleri (Belk, 1985;Wright & Larsen, 1993;Ryan & Dziurawiec, 2001;Burroughs ve Rindfleisch, 2002) arasında negatif ilişki ortaya konulmuştur. Bununla birlikte, bireylerin materyalist eğilimleri arttıkça kendilerini daha yalnız hissetmekte (Pieters, 2013); kendilerine olan öz saygıları azalmakta (Christopher, Saliba & Deadmarsh, 2009) ve hatta depresyona (Mueller vd., 2011) dahi girdikleri ortaya koyulmuştur. ...
... Literatüre bakıldığında, bir ürün ya da markaya sahip olmayı hayatının temel odağı gören materyalist bireylerin, günümüz tüketim toplumunda para ve finansal amaçlarla olan ilişkisi ortaya koyan pek çok çalışma mevcuttur (Belk, 1984;Srivastava, Locke & Bartol, 2001). Bununla birlikte yine pek çok çalışmada, gençlerin bir gruba ait olma, benliğini genişletme, statü kazanabilmek amacıyla statü tüketimi, gösterişçi tüketime yöneldiğine ilişkin pek çok çalışma mevcuttur (Kim & Jang, 2012;Phau & Cheong, 2009;Podoshen & Zhang, 2011). Dolayısıyla bu araştırma kapsamında işaret edilen para kazanma arzunun bireyin materyalleri hayatının merkezine alması ile arasındaki pozitif bağı destekler niteliktedir. ...
Günümüzde para kazanma olgusu, iş hayatına yeni girecek bireylerin önemli motivasyonlarından biridir. Bunun yanı sıra para, temsil ettiği güç nedeniyle de tüketim toplumlarında daha önemli hale gelmiştir. Bireyler toplum nezdinde bir sosyal konum elde edebilmek, diğerlerini etkilemek ya da egemenlik kurmak için parayı kullanmakta ve maddi varlıkların edinimi aracılığıyla ürün ve hizmet satın alarak, varlığını ve sosyal gücünü diğerlerine sergilemektedir. Bu esinle çalışmanın amacı, para kazanma motivasyonunun materyalist değerlerin bileşenleri olan başarı, mutluluk ve merkeziyetçilik üzerindeki etkileri incelemektir. Bu amaç doğrultusunda araştırma, basit rastlantısal örnekleme yöntemiyle ve anket aracılığıyla Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt Üniversitesi’nde toplanan veriler kapsamında gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırmaya üniversitede eğitim gören 406 öğrenci katılmıştır. Araştırma neticesinde, para kazanma motivasyonunun materyalist değerlerin bileşenlerinden başarı, mutluluk ve merkeziyetçilik üzerinde pozitif yönde anlamlı bir etkiye sahip olduğu yönünde bulgulara ulaşılmıştır. Para kazanma motivasyonunun, materyalist değerler bileşenleri üzerinde en güçlü etkiye sahip olandan en zayıf etkiye sahip olana doğru; başarı (R2=0,14), mutluluk (R2=0,12) ve merkeziyetçilik (R2=0,10) şeklinde sıralanmaktadır.
... For example, various formulations of the UCLA Loneliness Scale have been used to measure both state and trait loneliness (cf. Pieters, 2013;van Roekel et al., 2018;Waytz et al., 2015). A related ambiguity arises in the distinction between chronic loneliness and other more temporary types of loneliness. ...
... Research on the relation between loneliness and materialism suggests that this may be the case. Loneliness and general social connection deficits are associated with a greater love for material possessions (Lastovicka & Sirianni, 2011), stronger self-brand connections (Loh et al., 2021), and higher levels of materialism (Ang et al., 2014;Gentina et al., 2018;Pieters, 2013;Shrum et al., 2022). ...
Loneliness is a complex set of aversive feelings that arises when people perceive that their belongingness needs are not being met. Usually, these feelings of loneliness are temporary because people successfully cope with their loneliness by connecting with others. However, for some people, their attempts to cope with loneliness are unsuccessful, and their loneliness becomes chronic, which can have severe consequences for their mental and physical health. Understanding the causes and consequences of loneliness is critical for developing interventions to reduce loneliness, a need made more urgent by the dramatic rise in reported loneliness over the last few decades. In this review, we provide a synthesis of the research on how people cope with loneliness through consumption situations and the extent to which these coping strategies are successful. We also provide a discussion of how the marketplace has responded to the rapidly increasing levels of chronic loneliness worldwide. We conclude with an agenda for future research to answer both basic and applied research questions regarding the causes, consequences, and underlying processes of loneliness.
... In a related study, Zhao et al. (2022) found that alexithymia is positively connected with loneliness, and internet addiction. Similarly, there is empirical evidence that loneliness promotes materialism (Pieters, 2013). Thus, the literature supports the assumption that abilities to understand and manage the emotions of others should also be held accountable for the development of materialism. ...
... Consumers are motivated to cope with their self-ascribed deficiencies through escape or another coping mechanism when they are over-concerned with their negative feelings and an unpleasant self (Donnelly et al., 2016). Consumers gravitate towards materialistic endeavours because they believe in the power of material objects to transform their self-identity and bring happiness (Richins, 2017), or they tend to attach to material objects to avoid loneliness (Pieters, 2013). The same applies to CB; for example, detachment is found as a distinguishing feature of CBs (Duroy et al., 2018). ...
Consumers' inclinations towards materialism and compulsive buying are influenced by a variety of factors. Materialistic consumers face maladies that cause stress and lower subjective well-being and are unable to control their buying behaviour that in turn leads to social and financial issues. This paper aims to investigate the effect of emotional intelligence training on consumers' materialism and compulsive buying. The experimental design involves 36 respondents across both groups. Findings confirm the hypothesis that ability-based training programmes can help consumers improve their emotional intelligence whilst also lowering their levels of materialism and compulsive buying. In sum, the results extend the existing literature on consumer materialism by providing an explanation on how specific emotional ability-based training can diminish materialistic and excessive buying inclinations. The development of emotional intelligence skills-based training programmes contributes to more sustainable consumer behaviour, mitigating the vulnerability to materialism and related addictive behavioural consequences.
... Loneliness indeed reflects a sense of vulnerability and insecurity [21,22], which drives individuals to seek resources as a way to cope with life challenges [19,23,24]. Social connections have historically been the primary resource relied upon [25], but alternatives do exist. ...
Loneliness, as a well-established risk factor of mental health, has been strongly associated with low subjective well-being (SWB). However, less is known about potential boundary conditions that may ameliorate this ‘dark side’ of loneliness. Social connections are critical to well-being from the standpoint that the lack of belonging was detrimental to human survival in the evolutionary past. We thus hypothesized that loneliness would exert a more pronounced influence on people’s SWB when the need for others (social resource) is perceived to be high–the presence of environmental harshness. With a particular focus on urban (i.e., Seoul) residents who are presumed to be more vulnerable to loneliness, two studies examined whether feeling lonely matters less to SWB under favorable environmental conditions. As expected, loneliness was less harmful to the SWB of individuals who perceived their surroundings as relatively secure and favorable (Study 1). We then experimentally replicated the results by exposing people to cues of either a harsh (e.g., images of scarcity) or a favorable environment (Study 2).
... For materialism, the perspective has been almost exclusively one that considers outcomes to be negative (cf. Belk 1985;Kasser 2002;Richins and Dawson 1992), although recent research has taken a more open-minded perspective (Pieters 2013;Shrum et al. 2013Shrum et al. , 2014. In fact, research on the antecedents of materialism is voluminous, and an exhaustive review of this research is beyond the scope of this chapter. ...
... e.g.,Kasser et al., 2014;Pieters, 2013) 。さらに，消費Review Article レビュー論文 -シリーズ 144 マーケティングジャーナル Vol. 42 No. 4 (2023), et al.(2014)のレビューでまと められている。 3) 日本語版の尺度には，Ohno, Lee, and Maeno(2022)による J-MVS がある。 4) 本稿では，消費者行動研究および消費文化研究における物 質主義を主な議論の対象とする。紙幅の都合上，当該研究 領域との関連性が相対的に低い哲学や社会学における物質 主義の定義や議論(e.g., Inglehart, 1981; Lange, 1865)につ いては割愛している。 5) Belk(1983, 1984a)において，財の獲得と所有は，理論的 には異なるものの，尺度開発の過程で弁別されなかったた め，作業仮説的に同一の概念として議論されている。 6) 目標内容理論は，自己決定理論(self-determination theory) における 6 つの下位理論のうちのひとつである。自己決定 理論については，Ryan and Deci(2017)に詳しい。 7) デジタルノマドとは，所有物や財産のほとんどを手放し， 9 時から 5 時までの労働生活の概念を拒否し，ラップトッ プで仕事をしながら，エキゾチックで安価な場所を渡り歩 き， 世界を旅することを選択した個人を意味する (Atanasova & Eckhardt, 2021) 。 ...
The aim of this paper is to integrate ideas on consumer materialism in the context of recent changes in the consumption environment. These changes include development of digitalization, the spread of sharing and other forms of consumption that do not involve legal ownership of goods, and the prevalence of anti-materialistic values such as minimalism. Changes in the consumption environment are sometimes evaluated as a phenomenon symbolizing the weakening of materialism in the consumer society, which may be problematic due to its various harmful effects. This paper critically examines the optimistic view of weakening of materialism through a review of early studies on materialism and recent studies focusing on changes in the consumption environment. It then provides a perspective that uses the concept of materialism to better understand consumer behavior and the state of the current consumer society.
... This is because the need for social relationships and the need for money have an interchangeable effect [39]. In other words, the need for money may reduce the need for social relationships [40,41], but satisfying the need for social relationships also reduces the need for money [42,43]. Indeed, Rindfleisch et al. [44] showed that family resources, such as guidance and emotional support, reduced the materialism of family members. ...
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) provides companies with two benefits: creating social value and strengthening consumer relationships. Companies implement various types of CSR to maximize the positive effects of CSR, participatory CSR being one of these types. However, although the number of companies using participatory CSR in practice is increasing, academic interest in the effectiveness of participatory CSR has been insufficient. In particular, prior studies on the consumer perception of the participation level presented in participatory CSR do not show clear results. This study examines the influence of the participation level based on CSR fit and social support. The results of this study indicate that when there is a high CSR fit, consumers perceive the participation level as a benefit. However, when the CSR fit is low, consumers perceive the participation level as a cost. Additionally, the results show that the interactive effect of the participation level and CSR fit occurs only when there is less social support. When there is strong social support, consumers perceive the participation level as a benefit regardless of the CSR fit. Finally, the academic and practical implications of the results of this study are presented.
... Akin to these problems are compulsive shopping and similar misguided efforts to improve mood. These are found to be especially problematic when associated with consumer materialism, used to cope with anxiety and social exclusion (Pieters 2013). These create a vicious cycle of reliance on mood enhancers, negative habits that diminish choices for positive and voluntary action. ...
Physical distancing and masking due to COVID-19 were initially thought to magnify isolation and loneliness. Instead, pursuits of the solitary have become socially recognized, valued, and positively appraised as engaging experiences of intense concentration. Solitude that is fostered by direct personal agency, individual choice, and commitment includes a diverse range of repetitive, self-regulating, and goal directed activities. These are theorized to constitute disciplined practices that are importantly connected to periods of cognitive and emotional self-development. These spawn positive emotions that function as ethical safeguards to the hazards of conformity.
... Akin to these problems are compulsive shopping and similar misguided efforts to improve mood. These are found to be especially problematic when associated with consumer materialism, used to cope with anxiety and social exclusion (Pieters 2013). These create a vicious cycle of reliance on mood enhancers, negative habits that diminish choices for positive and voluntary action. ...
Physical distancing and masking due to COVID-19 were initially thought to magnify isolation and loneliness. Instead, pursuits of the solitary have become socially recognized, valued, and positively appraised as engaging experiences of intense concentration. Solitude that is fostered by direct personal agency, individual choice, and commitment includes a diverse range of repetitive, self-regulating, and goal directed activities. These are theorized to constitute disciplined practices that are importantly connected to periods of cognitive and emotional self-development. These spawn positive emotions that function as ethical safeguards to the hazards of conformity.
... It is argued that the model coined by Richins and Dawson (1992) has been acknowledged to be more reliable. Moreover, it has been utilized by a number of researchers (Pieters, 2013). ...
This study aims to discover the materialism mediator that predicts the presence of academic motivation, the religiosity mediator predicts the presence of academic motivation and the religiosity mediator predicts the presence of materialism among Minangkabau university students in Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia. This study identified dimensions of materialism that relate to religiosity and academic motivation dimensions of religiosity that relate to materialism and academic motivation and dimensions of academic motivation relate to religiosity and materialism. The researcher administered the Materialistic Value Scale (MVS) to measure materialism, the Religious Commitment Inventory-10 (RCI-10) measures the religiosity, and the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) measures motivation. It was administered to 382 students of Minangkabau university students in a public university in West Sumatra. Pearson correlation, multi-variable regression analysis, and independent t-test were conducted. The multiple linear regression is employed to predict the presence of academic motivation and materialism. The results displayed that the dimension of the religiosity which is more related to academic motivation is the interpersonal religiosity; the dimension of the religiosity which is more related to materialism is the intrapersonal religiosity; while the dimension of materialism which is more related to academic motivation is the pursuit of happiness.
... It has been consistently and reliably shown to be associated with many positive physical and mental health outcomes, including better coping with disease (Edens, Larkin, and Abel 1992;Fong et al., 2017) and reduced symptoms of depression (Rueger et al. 2016). Conversely, a lack of perceived social support or feelings of loneliness have been associated with increased drug and alcohol use, high blood pressure, stress, and even premature death (Cacioppo and Patrick 2008;House, Landis, and Umberson 1988;Pieters 2013). Despite the consistent and repeatedly shown well-being benefits of perceived social support, very little is known about how perceived social support originates (Feeney and Collins 2015). ...
Despite the ubiquity of celebrations in everyday life, very little is known about how they may contribute to consumer well-being. In the current work, the authors propose that celebrations promote perceived social support, which prior work has conceptualized as the belief that others will be there for you in future, negative life events. The authors further theorize that celebrations require three key characteristics which, in combination, are necessary for increasing perceived social support. Specifically, celebrations must 1) mark an individual’s separate positive event and 2) involve consumption 3) with others (i.e., social). They test this theory across eight studies and demonstrate a process mechanism for this effect—these characteristics lead to increases in enacted support and perceived responsiveness, which in turn, lead to increases in more general perceived social support. They then extend these findings by investigating virtually held celebrations, the individual’s role at the celebration, and a downstream pro-social outcome. By doing so, this work highlights the broader benefits of celebrations beyond the focal individual and the immediate experience. Finally, specific policy implications and suggestions for enhancing consumer well-being are provided.
... When our need for connection and belonging is severely thwarted, we tend to care much more about status and popularity (Lavigne, Vallerand, & Crevier-Braud, 2011). A frequent response to the experience of loneliness is to try to numb the unpleasant feelings and emotions through the consumption of material goods ("retail therapy" anyone?) as well as alcohol and other (recreational) drugs (McKay, Konowalczyk, Andretta, & Cole, 2017;Pieters, 2013). While these quick fixes can provide temporary distractions, they are impossible to keep up without becoming dependent on a continuous supply as well as serious health implications through addictive behaviours. ...
The achievement of sustainable prosperity requires the enhancement of human wellbeing alongside increased care for the environment. In recent years, much has been written on the role of different mental states and their potential to influence our way of thinking and, perhaps more importantly, the way we act. In this working paper, we explore the emerging potential of a type of mental state known as Self-Transcendent Experiences (STEs) to deliver beneficial effects on human wellbeing and sustainable attitudes and behaviours. Self-transcendent experiences can be facilitated by experiences of flow, awe and meditation, as well as psychedelic experiences. Some of these experiences can occur naturally, through sometimes unexpected encounters with nature or during immersion in every-day activities that one intrinsically enjoys, as well as through more intentional practices such as meditation or the use of psychedelics. We demonstrate how each of the four alternative types of STEs share some similar neurological underpinnings and review their links to improvements in human wellbeing and sustainable attitudes and behaviours. We also highlight potential risks across the different varieties of STEs and consider factors that need to be considered if they are to be employed as a practical means of supporting sustainable prosperity.
... When our need for connection and belonging is severely thwarted, we tend to care much more about status and popularity (Lavigne et al., 2011). A frequent response to the experience of loneliness is to try to numb the unpleasant feelings and emotions through the consumption of material goods as well as alcohol and other (recreational) drugs (Pieters, 2013;McKay et al., 2017). While these responses provide temporary distractions, with repeated exposure they lose their positive phenomenological effects, a process known as 'neuroadaptation' (Lembke, 2021: 53), and require ever greater dosages with potentially detrimental impacts on health and wellbeing. ...
In recent years, much has been written on the role of different mental states and their potential to influence our way of thinking and, perhaps more importantly, the way we act. With the recent acceleration of environmental and mental health issues, alongside the limited effectiveness of existing interventions, an exploration of new approaches to deliver transformative change is required. We therefore explore the emerging potential of a type of mental state known as self-transcendent experiences (STEs) as a driver of ecological wellbeing. We focus on four types of STEs: those facilitated by experiences of flow, awe, and mindfulness, as well as by psychedelic-induced experiences. Some of these experiences can occur naturally, through sometimes unexpected encounters with nature or during immersion in everyday activities that one intrinsically enjoys, as well as through more intentional practices such as meditation or the administration of psychedelics in controlled, legal settings. We explore the evidence base linking each of the four types of STE to ecological wellbeing before proposing potential hypotheses to be tested to understand why STEs can have such beneficial effects. We end by looking at the factors that might need to be considered if STEs are going to be practically implemented as a means of achieving ecological wellbeing.
... Studies also show that people who are lonely and who find it difficult to maintain social relationships tend to develop an addiction to the internet or being present online (Ang et al., 2018). Lonely people tend to cope with this by engaging in self-regulatory efforts to compensate for their self-esteem deficit (Ang et al., 2018;Pieters, 2013;J. Wang et al., 2012). ...
Generation Z's (gen z) sharing of personal information on social media is a growing phenomenon with significant ramifications. Existing research, however, focuses on examining the role of social and/or psychological factors and fails to consider how and when social, psychological, and organizational factors affect gen z's willingness to share personal information on social media. To fill this gap, we propose a conceptual model based on the tenets of sociometer theory, to understand the dynamics of gen z's willingness to share personal information while considering its process and boundary conditions. Using a sequential multi‐study design, we conducted an experiment followed by a survey to test our hypotheses using data collected from gen z in India. Our findings show that when gen z feels socially isolated/anxious, they are more likely to share personal information on social media. The effect of social isolation on sharing of personal information increases when gen z fear that they are missing out on the rewarding experiences others are having, are engaged in repetitive negative thoughts and perceive their firm's privacy policy as transparent and ethical. Our findings provide a better understanding of why, how, and when gen z's are willing to share personal information on social media. We extend existing limited research on the psychological aspects of digital natives' interaction with modern technologies. Our results equip social media marketing and brand managers with the knowledge they need to increase gen z's willingness to share personal information.
... Likewise, quick materialism signals restrain social qualities and increment seriousness (Bauer, Chytilová, & Morduch, 2012). Also, people distracted with cash are egocentric and frequently feel distanced and detached from others (Pieters, 2013). In synopsis, materialism might fuel narcissistic attributes: independence, egocentricity, intensity, reluctance to help and poor relational connections. ...
... Most prominently, materialism is associated with a decrease in well-being (Dittmar et al. 2014;Kasser et al. 2014), and one reason for this negative correlation is that materialists find it hard to be grateful for what they already have (Tsang et al. 2014). Additionally, materialistic values are negatively associated with the presence of meaning in one's life (Kashdan and Breen 2007), and positively associated with feelings of loneliness (Pieters 2013), insecurity (Kasser and Sheldon 2000) and low self-esteem (Chaplin and John 2007). This can be seen when people are asleep: those high in materialism dream more about interpersonal conflicts and insecure themes (e.g. ...
Consumerism is a socioeconomic phenomenon that has redefined societies. Values, beliefs, habits, and everyday situations have changed people and their lifestyles, thereby shaping the contemporary consumer. The importance of acquiring and possessing material objects has emerged as the main value of the consumer society, leading to the belief that possessions can make us happy. Composed of processes that makes it endure and prosper, the power of consumerism in our daily lives is best observed during sales events, such as Black Friday, when the opportunity to buy at a greater cost-benefit causes commotion and when overconsumption is common. A buying frenzy can lead to impulsive and, in the worst cases, compulsive behaviours. However, the relationship between subjective well-being and buying is dependent on different variables, such as what is being bought, and who is buying. Since consumption is filled with symbolic meaning, buying behaviour goes well beyond the tangible aspects, also incorporating the intangible aspects, thus showing the importance of experiential and green consumption. Despite the predominance of consumerism, anti-consumerism movements have emerged as a counter-culture wave of consumption, bringing more awareness of consumers’ behaviour, offering alternatives for the consumption lifestyle, and encouraging reflection on the benefits and harm of consumerism.
... Moreover, exposure to material parenting in adolescence increases the likelihood of developing adulthood materialism (Richins and Chaplin, 2015), which subsequently engenders risky health behaviours (e.g. tobacco, alcohol or drugs) and compulsive buying (Ding et al., 2019a;Dittmar et al., 2014), and develops negative self-evaluation (Dittmar et al., 2014), problematic interpersonal relationships (Norris et al., 2012), recurrent loneliness (Pieters, 2013) and dark personality traits (Kasser and Ryan, 1993;McHoskey, 1999). In the Chinese context, exploring adolescent materialism is particularly important because development of the Chinese economy brings about an increasing desire for material hedonism among young people in modern Chinese society (Chan et al., 2006;Chan and Prendergast, 2008;Durvasula and Lysonski, 2010;Gu and Hung, 2009;Podoshen et al., 2011). ...
Purpose
This study aims to explore the potential that acting proenvironmentally protects adolescents from developing materialistic value.
Design/methodology/approach
Convenience sampling was adopted to collect data from two randomly selected secondary schools in central China. A total of 784 participants were included in the survey.
Findings
The mediation analysis revealed that adolescent proenvironmental behaviour was negatively associated with materialism. The results of the moderated mediation model showed that psychological entitlement mediates the association between adolescent proenvironmental behaviour and materialism, and that family socioeconomic status acts as a moderator in the association between proenvironmental behaviour and psychological entitlement.
Practical implications
The current results advise educational practitioners on alleviating adolescent materialism. Policy makers and schools can add more environmental practice to the curriculum and extracurricular activities. Moreover, identifying the personal benefits of proenvironmental behaviour can motivate young people to act proenvironmentally, which not only factually reduces over-consumption but also attracts more attention from young people to the environment.
Originality/value
Previous studies rarely explored the individual belief or perception accounting for the negative association between proenvironmental behaviour and materialism. Therefore, the authors adopt psychological entitlement, a belief reflecting the dark side of individual perception, to explain why proenvironmental behaviour reduces materialism.
... While such practices certainly generate questions with regard to purposefully lonely consumption and consumers' perceptions of loneliness in the presence of smart technology (Wang, Zhu, and Shiv 2012;Pieters 2013), they also emphasize the necessity for researchers to consider consumers' homes as increasingly important locus for consumption activities, not only within service research (as Chapter 3 establishes), but also -and particularly so -among consumer researchers. Here, consumer culture theoryinformed research could, for example, investigate how consumers utilize and purposefully design their homes as a refuge from public consumption and how technologies may occupy ambivalent and paradoxical roles in fulfilling consumers' desires in this context Belk, Weijo, and Kozinets 2020). ...
Smart (home) devices, often comprising some degree of artificial intelligence, have recently gained centrality in consumers’ lives. Likewise, marketing research shows growing interest in consumers’ use of smart technology, which has resulted in a plethora of works on the topic. However, extant research projects have tended to either take a prophetic, future-oriented or prematurely specific stance. Hence, a substantial theoretical understanding of consumption experiences with smart technology is as of yet missing. Adopting a consumer behavior and service marketing perspective, this thesis aims to close this research gap. Across four research projects, both conceptual and empirical, this dissertation first delimits and specifies the phenomenon of smart digital consumption, before analyzing the transformative impact of smart devices on consumers’ domestic contexts. Additionally, this thesis investigates how consumers build and maintain trust in their smart devices (in this case, smart voice-interaction technologies), and finally examines the hybrid influence of digital and analog contexts on smart service value generation. The findings of this thesis suggest that if marketing researchers aim to contribute to meaningful knowledge about consumers’ smart technology use and want to generate original research results, they first need to establish a more contextual understanding of smart technologies as such and their impact on consumption experiences. To stimulate scientific progress, this thesis concludes by identifying avenues for future research.
... Although materialistic individuals tend to view the possession of material goods as a means to achieve happiness (Richins & Founier, 1991), scholars and researchers have consistently suggested otherwise. Higher levels of materialism have been linked to lower levels of life-satisfaction and happiness (Donnelly et al., 2016;Ku, 2015), higher levels of loneliness (Pieters, 2013), and poorer physical and mental well-being (Dittmar et al., 2014;Moldes & Ku, 2020). ...
This study aimed to determine how materialism is related to relationship quality, as conceptualised across multiple levels, including an individual’s relationship to self (self-esteem and attachment), relationships with others (family, peers and intimate partners) and relationships in the broader social context (online and community). Young adults between 18 and 30 years of age (N = 205) completed an online self-report questionnaire that assessed materialism, self-esteem and attachment style, as well as a number of relationship variables of interest. Data were analysed using bivariate correlations and regression analyses. Lower self-esteem, anxious attachment and poorer quality of family relationships predicted higher levels of materialism (p < .05), even after controlling for demographic and socio-economic variables (p < .05), with self-esteem showing the strongest association. These findings were interpreted within a developmental framework that posits a central role for the individual’s early relationships and immediate environment in the etiology of materialism, although future longitudinal studies are needed to test this theory explicitly.
... Lonely consumers gift cash, goods, or services to non-profit organisations to help them accomplish their goals (Merchant et al., 2011), and consume goods which make their lives comfortable (Troisi & Gabriel, 2011). Research has explored how lonely consumers consume and engage in decision making (Merchant et al., 2011;Pieters, 2013). ...
Factors influencing mobile shopping intention have been discussed very frequently in the literature. However, the effect of psychological reasons like loneliness on mobile shopping intention has received little attention in the consumer behaviour literature. Especially, there is a dearth of studies regarding how lonely consumers respond to mobile shopping intention when exposed to nostalgic advertising. Grounded on the Uses and Gratification Theory (UGT), this article conceptualizes that lonely consumer when exposed to nostalgic advertising may enter the flow state and eventually engage in mobile shopping. Consistent with prior literature, the authors consider four distinct dimensions of advertising-evoked personal nostalgia: past imagery, positive emotions, negative emotions, and physiological reactions. Marketers face considerable challenges when appealing to lonely consumers to engage in mobile shopping. This article provides a framework to aid marketers to successfully develop marketing strategies to engage lonely consumers in mobile shopping. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.
Purpose
With the high penetration rate of the Internet and the prevalence of social networking sites (SNSs), the negative emotions caused by stressors on SNS have become an important issue worthy of attention. This study explored the relationship between SNS stressors, negative emotions and prosocial behavior, by employing negative emotions as the mediation role and social support as the moderator.
Design/methodology/approach
The samples of this study were Facebook users who have used it constantly in the past six months. An online survey was conducted, from which 547 responses were completed, and 525 were valid, for an effective recovery ratio of 95.98%.
Findings
Employing the structural equation model (SEM), the findings show that five paths were supported with a good fit. Negative emotions (anxiety and loneliness) have a moderating effect.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature by factors divided by negative emotions of anxiety and loneliness from SNS stressors’ perspectives. In addition, this study provides additional support the moderating effect of social support of anxiety on prosocial behavior.
Advertising theory offers competing perspectives on how advertising might affect life satisfaction. For instance, advertising may have some negative effects by increasing materialism, or it may have some positive effects by reducing marketplace uncertainty. Yet research investigating these connections remains limited. We compile a data set of per capita advertising expenditure to investigate advertising’s relationship with life satisfaction within 76 countries from 2006 to 2019. We deal with several sources of endogeneity and account for other determinants of life satisfaction (e.g., gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, social support) in our analysis. Results from a within-country fixed-effect model indicate that per capita advertising expenditure is positively related to national average life satisfaction. Moderation analyses of this aggregate secondary data and two individual-level experiments provide mechanistic evidence that this occurs because of advertising’s ability to reduce marketplace uncertainty. However, supplemental analyses and an additional experiment indicate that this positive relationship is attenuated through a materialism pathway in certain situations (e.g., related to cultural, income, and subjective inequality factors) and can become negative. As such, we provide the first nuanced and multifaceted view of advertising’s complex relationship with life satisfaction in the marketing literature.
History: Puneet Manchanda served as the senior editor for this article.
Funding: All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest or nonfinancial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript. The authors have no funding to report.
Supplemental Material: The e-companion and data are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.2021.0136 .
This paper focuses on producing a holistic understanding of Retail Therapy and systematically reviewing the existing literature in the field of retail therapy and negative affect. Previously, there was a dearth of direct investigation on retail therapy. This paper synthesizes the different sources of knowledge on retail therapy published between 1988 to 2018 and provides an integrative and comprehensive understanding of the therapeutic role of shopping in emotional regulation. The study used only secondary data collected from different scientific journals, books, and, websites. The finding of the paper is consistent with previous studies on retail therapy that, shopping is therapeutic but not always. It has a healing power but also can make a person addicted to compulsive buying.
Purpose
Loneliness is widely prevalent in modern society. Despite the growth in studies, very limited studies so far have attempted to systematically review the literature. This study aims to consolidate the antecedents of loneliness by reviewing the literature.
Design/methodology/approach
The systematic literature review method is adopted to identify the antecedents. Full texts of each article were taken for analysis which was published from 2002 to 2022. Multiple databases were examined and total of 60 articles were included for systematic literature review.
Findings
The study presents the descriptive analysis of the articles. Also, the paper thematically presents the key antecedents of loneliness in three themes (a) Loss of love, (b) Individual cognitive and personal factors and (c) Childhood experiences and parenting practices. The study also highlights the moderating effect of demographic factors and lifestyle changes.
Originality/value
The current study is the first systematic literature review to present the antecedents of loneliness. The study contributes by offering an enhanced understanding of loneliness. Also, the study presents contemporary understanding of loneliness and proposes a conceptual framework. The findings are useful to academicians as well as policymakers.
Although a growing body of literature has studied loneliness across the population, the study impact of parental separation on loneliness remains limited. This study aims to understand loneliness among youths who experienced parental separation during their formative years. The subjective nature of loneliness demands an investigative approach that can understand the intricacies of the embodied mind. This study adopts a life course narrative approach to understand loneliness experiences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data from Indian youth. The narrative analysis resulted in the emergence of core categories and themes. The study conceptualizes loneliness in three domains: Individual, relational, and digital. These domains bring together the origination, manifestation, and intensification of loneliness. The life-course narrative reveals that youths with parental separation were experiencing loneliness for years.
Based on award-winning research, Love and Revolution brings classical and contemporary anarchist thought into a mutually beneficial dialogue with a global cross-section of ecological, anti-capitalist, feminist and anti-racist activists – discussing real-life examples of the loving-caring relations that underpin many contemporary struggles.
Such a (r)evolutionary love is revealed to be a common embodied experience among the activists contributing to this collective vision, manifested as a radical solidarity, as political direct action, as long-term processes of struggle, and as a deeply relational more-than-human ethics. The theory developed in this book is brought to life through the voices of Tom at the G20 protests in Toronto, Maria and her permaculture community in Mexico, Hassan on the streets in Syria, Angelo and his comrades occupying squares in Brazil, Dembe and his affinity group in Kampala, and many more.
Love and Revolution provides an essential resource for all those interested in building a free society grounded in solidarity and care, and offers a timely contribution to contemporary movement discourse. (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Previous research has extensively investigated the relationships that consumers create and maintain with their possessions. However, little is known about why material objects (compared to immaterial ones) may be particularly relevant for consumers' self‐definition. In this research, we argue that being physically close to objects helps consumers to feel psychologically close to the more abstract meaning of these objects. Four experimental studies provide converging support for this reasoning. Specifically, these studies indicate that being proximal to an object reduces the psychological distance to the object's meaning and enhances the benefits that consumers associate with the object. Moreover, the effect of bodily proximity on perceived benefits is moderated by separation anxiety, such that consumers that are highly anxious about being separated from the object's meaning derive higher benefits from being proximal to it. The findings contribute to research on the extended self and highlight the potential importance of physical proximity as a motivational driver of consumer behavior.
Consumers' feelings of being excluded—which indicate a deficit in important social resources such as connection, acceptance, and support—have increased over the last 50 years. In this research, by adopting a resource‐based view of brands, we examine how and why brands play a role in socially excluded consumers' lives. Across a series of studies, we find that excluded consumers perceive warm (vs. less warm) brands as better relationship partners. Because of this, excluded consumers choose warm (vs. less warm) brands more often, and they feel less lonely as a result. We also test the role of brand warmth relative to brand competence and to individual differences in self‐acceptance. We find that excluded consumers' preferences for warm brands persist even when the warm brands are low in competence and even when consumers possess high self‐acceptance. This research reveals the relational, resource‐restorative role of warm brands and provides implications for consumers' coping and emotional well‐being in our increasingly isolated society.
Wise decisions are often guided by an accurate understanding of the expected values of different possible choices. In social contexts, wisdom comes from understanding how others are likely to respond to one's actions, enabling people to make choices that maximize both their own and others’ outcomes. Our research suggests that miscalibrated social cognition may create a systematic barrier to wiser decisions in social life. From expressing appreciation to offering support to performing acts of kindness, this program of research indicates that decisions to engage with others are driven by how people expect a recipient to respond, but that people consistently underestimate how positively others will respond to their other‐oriented actions. Because connecting with others consistently increases people's own wellbeing, miscalibrated social cognition may lead to undersociality: being overly reluctant to reach out and connect with others. Miscalibrated expectations about social engagement can create markets for products that help people overcome these barriers in order to consume their time, money, and effort more wisely.
Loneliness has spread globally and the COVID-19 outbreak has boosted the number of lonely consumers. The retail industry and its consumptions channels have changed dramatically since the pandemic and helped consumers resist loneliness. Faced by multiple channel choices, how consumers' loneliness affects their channel preferences is a contemporary issue that needs to be addressed. By introducing protection motivation theory, logit model, and maximum likelihood estimation, we find that consumers' perceived vulnerability to loneliness and their self-efficacy towards online shopping are the main factors influencing channel preference. Additionally, their negative attitude towards online shopping mediates the effect of perceived vulnerability on channel preference. Simultaneously, the perceived vulnerability and severity caused by loneliness improve consumers' negative attitudes towards online shopping. The results show that retailers need to pay attention to the differentiated layouts of diverse shopping channels, improve the communication skills of retail service personnel, strengthen the integration of online and offline channels, and pay more attention to the treatment and compensation of bad online shopping experience.
In recent years, with the increasing number of people living alone in China, new demographic changes in society, “loneliness” is becoming a universal topic. As loneliness increases, a range of social problems emerge as a result, like social avoidance personality, emotional deficits, etc. Therefore, relieving “loneliness” is increasingly becoming a major consumer demand. The development of Internet technology has enabled the majority of users to socialize anonymously. Under the environment of loneliness, people prefer to share their lives with strangers through live streaming and connecting, meeting their daily needs through online services. The “live streaming economy” was then born and has taken the network by storm with its interactivity, convenience and other features. What is the mechanism underlying how to alleviate loneliness and thus promote consumer purchase through live streaming deserves to be studied in depth. Thus, based on para-social interaction theory and self-construal theory, this paper explores the interaction between loneliness and para-social interaction on consumers’ purchase intention, the influence mechanism and boundary conditions. Two experimental studies revealed that, on one hand, the effect of the interaction between loneliness and para-social interaction on purchase intentions would be realized through the mediating role of social presence; on the other hand, the moderating role of dependent self-construal and perceived value on this mechanism was identified. This study improves the theoretical system of loneliness research, analyzes the mechanism of forming consumers’ online purchase intention and provides a strategic basis for alleviating loneliness, transforming lifestyles and generating online purchase behavior.KeywordsLonelinessPara-social interactionPurchase intention on live streaming products
Crime scene photography is one aspect that should be upgraded with time for better and significant results in crime scene
management. The present study focuses on the resources, training and level of knowledge about crime scene photography
existing among police officials in Sikar district of Rajasthan. There is a great need to evaluate the resources, training and
knowledge existing among police officials about crime scene photography, so that our criminal justice system is able to obtain
sufficient and significant results from crime scene and helps in delivering justice.
Purpose
Unprecedented environmental crises threaten the world, and most environmental problems are closely associated with human behaviour. At the same time, social exclusion and loneliness occur widely, influencing consumers' product preferences and choices. Hence, this study aimed to explore the impact of social exclusion on green consumption and its underlying mechanisms.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper opted for an empirical study with different research designs and green consumption measures. This pilot study investigated the relationship between social exclusion and green consumption by examining the frequency of green consumption behaviours in the past. Study 1 established a causal link between these two variables by manipulating social exclusion in a controlled experiment and assessed green product preferences. Study 2 further generalised the results of the secondary data analysis from the World Values Survey (WVS).
Findings
Overall, the research study provides convergent evidence that chronically or transiently excluded consumers are less likely to implement green consumption than their counterparts who do not feel socially excluded; this effect is partially mediated by a reduced sense of control and willingness to sacrifice for society after social exclusion.
Originality/value
Based on social exclusion theory and considering the unique characteristics of green consumption, this study enriches research in the fields of social exclusion and green consumption, revealing the negative effect of social exclusion on green consumption and the dual mediators in this relationship.
This research examined the association between materialism and self-interest-triggered moral flexibility, the tendency to change moral judgments based on self-interest. Individuals high on materialism reported a greater discrepancy in the moral judgments of their own and others’ behavior (Study 1), and showed a relatively more negative attitude towards fairness when being fair hindered rather than served their self-interests (Study 2). Studies 3 and 4 (both pre-registered) showed that when faced with moral conflict (equity vs. equality in Study 3, and ingroup favoritism vs. fairness in Study 4), materialism amplified the tendency to judge the moral values that served (vs. interfered with) one’s self-interest as more moral. Implications of these findings for the understanding of how materialists approach morality were discussed.
The modern marketplace has made consumers’ lives better in many ways, offering a multitude of affordable conveniences and luxuries. Why, then, is the prevalence of physical and mental health deficits higher than any other time in history? Here, we articulate an evolutionary mismatch perspective—the idea that the environment we live in has changed dramatically in a short period of time, but the human body and mind have not changed. Consumers’ evolved body and mind are interacting with the modern world as if it were an ancestral environment that existed thousands of years ago, leading to many negative outcomes. We discuss three evolutionary mismatches that contribute to or compound consumer vulnerability to disease and dissatisfaction with life. We review emerging research and propose future directions that inform effective strategies to mitigate illness and enhance wellbeing.
The Meaning of Things explores the meanings of household possessions for three generation families in the Chicago area, and the place of materialism in American culture. Now regarded as a keystone in material culture studies, Halton's first book is based on his dissertation and coauthored with Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. First published by Cambridge University Press in 1981, it has been translated into German, Italian, Japanese, and Hungarian. The Meaning of Things is a study of the significance of material possessions in contemporary urban life, and of the ways people carve meaning out of their domestic environment. Drawing on a survey of eighty families in Chicago who were interviewed on the subject of their feelings about common household objects, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Eugene Rochberg-Halton provide a unique perspective on materialism, American culture, and the self. They begin by reviewing what social scientists and philosophers have said about the transactions between people and things. In the model of 'personhood' that the authors develop, goal-directed action and the cultivation of meaning through signs assume central importance. They then relate theoretical issues to the results of their survey. An important finding is the distinction between objects valued for action and those valued for contemplation. The authors compare families who have warm emotional attachments to their homes with those in which a common set of positive meanings is lacking, and interpret the different patterns of involvement. They then trace the cultivation of meaning in case studies of four families. Finally, the authors address what they describe as the current crisis of environmental and material exploitation, and suggest that human capacities for the creation and redirection of meaning offer the only hope for survival. A wide range of scholars - urban and family sociologists, clinical, developmental and environmental psychologists, cultural anthropologists and philosophers, and many general readers - will find this book stimulating and compelling. Translations: Il significato degli oggetti. Italian translation. Rome: Edizione Kappa, 1986. Der Sinn der Dinge. German translation. Munich: Psychologie Verlags Union, 1989. Japanese translation 2007. Targyaink tukreben. Hungarian translation, 2011.
This paper focuses on consumer materialism within the American culture. It reviews some of the diverse conceptions of materialism in the contemporary social science literature and compares these theoretical notions with popular notions obtained from an exploratory survey of adult consumers. While popular notions tend to mirror theoretical conceptions, they differ in several important ways. Synthesis of the two sources of knowledge suggests that consumer research may be served best by conceptualizing materialism as a central organizing value rather than a trait or behavioral tendency. In addition, instead of labeling material consumption as "good" or "bad," it is recommended that researchers examine the extent to which individuals or societies perceive possessions as instrumental in achieving valued goals. Finally, it is proposed that the study of materialism should consider processes that precede acquisition.
The development of an adequate assessment instrument is a necessary prerequisite for social psychological research on loneliness. Two studies provide methodological refinement in the measurement of loneliness. Study 1 presents a revised version of the self-report UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) Loneliness Scale, designed to counter the possible effects of response bias in the original scale, and reports concurrent validity evidence for the revised measure. Study 2 demonstrates that although loneliness is correlated with measures of negative affect, social risk taking, and affiliative tendencies, it is nonetheless a distinct psychological experience.
Concentration on consumption in material environments characterized by too much rather than too little creates important gaps in the understanding of how much of the earth’s population navigates the marketplace. This study investigates bottom-of-the-pyramid, or impoverished, consumers to better comprehend the relationship between societal poverty and individual life satisfaction as moderated by psychological need deprivation and described by self-determination theory. Data were gathered from more than 77,000 individuals in 51 of the world’s poorest countries. Using hierarchical linear models, results show that relatedness and autonomy improve poverty’s negative influence on life satisfaction, but only if basic life necessities are available, described as consumption adequacy. Findings illustrate that without consumption adequacy, psychological need fulfillment has little effect on the poverty–well-being relationship, emphasizing the hopelessness of individuals living in extreme poverty. Findings also suggest to researchers that impoverished consumers not only face different circumstances but actually respond to those circumstances in unique ways.
Ahuvia, A.C. and Wong, N.Y. (1995), “Materialism: origins and implications for personal well-being”, in Hansen, F. (Ed.), European Advances in Consumer Research, Association for Consumer Research, Copenhagen.
Despite the popularity of social networks and technologies that intend to enhance social interaction, more Americans feel lonely now than before. This research examines how loneliness affects consumers’ responses to consensus-related social cues in marketing contexts. Results from three studies show that lonely consumers prefer minority-endorsed products, whereas nonlonely consumers prefer majority-endorsed products. However, this pattern occurs only when consumers’ product preferences are kept private. When product preferences are subject to public scrutiny, lonely consumers shift their preferences to majority-endorsed products. Results also reveal the underlying mechanisms. Minority-endorsed products fit better with the feelings of loneliness, and this fit mediates the effect of loneliness and endorsement type (i.e., majority vs. minority endorsement) on product evaluations in private consumption contexts. Yet, when their preferences are subject to public scrutiny, lonely consumers are concerned about being negatively evaluated by others, and this concern causes them to conform to the majority.
Social exclusion and monetary loss are perceived as painful. The pain produced by these two kinds of events shares similar psychological and physiological systems with physical pain. Thus, physical pain, social pain, and monetary-loss pain were generally regarded as overlapping pain systems in previous theories. In this article, we propose that social exclusion is painful because it is a threat to a primary psychological buffer against pain—social support—whereas monetary loss is painful because money is a secondary pain buffer. Here both social support and money are conceptualized as pain buffers. We review a growing body of empirical data that support this contention. On the basis of a comprehensive analysis of the sociocultural and personal functions of social support and money, we formulate two basic hypotheses that have received empirical support. First, anticipation of pain heightens the desire for social support as well as the desire for money. Second, both social support and money reminders alleviate pain, whereas social exclusion and monetary loss result in an upsurge of pain awareness. In our view, social support is the primary defense against pain and the reliance on money may result from the failure of social support to accomplish its pain-buffering goal.
This longitudinal study examined whether social self-efficacy and self-disclosure serve as mediators between attachment and feelings of loneliness and subsequent depression. Participants were 308 freshmen at a large Midwestern university. Results indicated that social self-efficacy mediated the association between attachment anxiety and feelings of loneliness and subsequent depression, whereas self-disclosure mediated the association between attachment avoidance and feelings of loneliness and subsequent depression. These relationships were found after controlling for the initial level of depression. A total of 55% of the variance in loneliness was explained by attachment anxiety, social self-efficacy, and self-disclosure, whereas 42% of the variance in subsequent depression was explained by the initial level of loneliness and depression. Implications of the findings for enhancing freshman adjustment are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Publisher Summary This chapter addresses the universals in the content and structure of values, concentrating on the theoretical advances and empirical tests in 20 countries, and its four basic issues: substantive contents of human values; identification of comprehensive set of values; extent to which the meaning of particular values was equivalent for different groups of people; and how the relations among different values was structured. Substantial progress has been made toward resolving each of these issues. Ten motivationally distinct value types that were likely to be recognized within and across cultures and used to form value priorities were identified. Set of value types that was relatively comprehensive, encompassing virtually all the types of values to which individuals attribute at least moderate importance as criteria of evaluation was demonstrated. The evidence from 20 countries was assembled, showing that the meaning of the value types and most of the single values that constitute them was reasonably equivalent across most groups. Two basic dimensions that organize value systems into an integrated motivational structure with consistent value conflicts and compatibilities were discovered. By identifying universal aspects of value content and structure, the chapter has laid the foundations for investigating culture-specific aspects in the future.
When people's deeply ingrained need for social connection is thwarted by social exclusion, profound psychological consequences ensue. Despite the fact that social connections and consumption are central facets of daily life, little empirical attention has been devoted to understanding how belongingness threats impact consumer behavior. In four experiments, we tested the hypothesis that social exclusion causes people to spend and consume strategically in the service of affiliation. Relative to controls, excluded participants were more likely to buy a product symbolic of group membership (but not practical or self-gift items), tailor their spending preferences to the preferences of an interaction partner, spend money on an unappealing food item favored by a peer, and report being willing to try an illegal drug, but only when doing so boosted their chances of commencing social connections. Overall, results suggest that socially excluded people sacrifice personal and financial well-being for the sake of social well-being.
Materialism is a way of life characterized by the pursuit of wealth and possessions. Several studies have documented that
a materialistic lifestyle is associated with diminished subjective well-being. In spite of this, many people continue to pursue
materialistic goals rather than pursue goals that are more beneficial for their well-being. The current paper investigates
one mechanism that may contribute to the continued pursuit of materialism. In particular, we propose that luxury consumption
may reinforce a materialistic lifestyle. To test this possibility, we investigate the relations between luxury consumption,
materialism and cognitive and affective subjective well-being aspects simultaneously, in a structural model. The results of
a large scale survey in Dutch-speaking Belgium demonstrate that materialistic consumers are more inclined to consume luxury
goods than less materialistic consumers. In addition, luxury consumption leads to enhanced positive mood, diminished negative
mood and increased satisfaction with life. Furthermore, although the impact on negative and positive mood is not moderated
by materialism, the impact of luxury consumption on satisfaction with life is more pronounced for materialistic consumers
than for less materialistic consumers. Together, these results indicate that materialistic consumers not only engage more
in luxury consumption than less materialistic consumers, but also benefit more from it (at least in the short run). As a result,
luxury consumption may be more rewarding for the former than for the latter and consequently, “lock in” materialists in their
lifestyle, irrespective of the long-term adverse consequences for self and society.
KeywordsMaterialism–Luxury consumption–Subjective well-being–Status consumption–Hedonic product usage–Reinforcement theory
Older adults constitute a rapidly growing demographic segment, but stereotypes persist about their consumer behavior. The
goal of this review was to develop a more considered understanding of age-associated changes in consumer decision making.
Our theoretical model suggests that age-associated changes in cognition, affect, and goals interact to make older consumers’
decision-making processes, brand choices, and habits different from those of younger adults. We first review literature on
stereotypes about the elderly and then turn to an analysis of age differences in the inputs (cognition, affect, and goals)
and the outcomes (decisions, brand choices, and habits) of decision processes.
Correlational evidence indicates that materialistic individuals experience relatively low levels of well-being. Across four experiments, we found that situational cuing can also trigger materialistic mind-sets, with similarly negative personal and social consequences. Merely viewing desirable consumer goods resulted in increases in materialistic concerns and led to heightened negative affect and reduced social involvement (Experiment 1). Framing a computer task as a "Consumer Reaction Study" led to a stronger automatic bias toward values reflecting self-enhancement, compared with framing the same task as a "Citizen Reaction Study" (Experiment 2). Consumer cues also increased competitiveness (Experiment 3) and selfishness in a water-conservation dilemma (Experiment 4). Thus, the costs of materialism are not localized only in particularly materialistic people, but can also be found in individuals who happen to be exposed to environmental cues that activate consumerism-cues that are commonplace in contemporary society.
The core methods in today's econometric toolkit are linear regression for statistical control, instrumental variables methods for the analysis of natural experiments, and differences-in-differences methods that exploit policy changes. In the modern experimentalist paradigm, these techniques address clear causal questions such as: Do smaller classes increase learning? Should wife batterers be arrested? How much does education raise wages?Mostly Harmless Econometricsshows how the basic tools of applied econometrics allow the data to speak.In addition to econometric essentials,Mostly Harmless Econometricscovers important new extensions--regression-discontinuity designs and quantile regression--as well as how to get standard errors right. Joshua Angrist and J rn-Steffen Pischke explain why fancier econometric techniques are typically unnecessary and even dangerous. The applied econometric methods emphasized in this book are easy to use and relevant for many areas of contemporary social science.An irreverent review of econometric essentialsA focus on tools that applied researchers use mostChapters on regression-discontinuity designs, quantile regression, and standard errorsMany empirical examplesA clear and concise resource with wide applications.
Conspicuous consumption is a form of economic behavior in which self-presentational concerns override desires to obtain goods at bargain prices. Showy spending may be a social signal directed at potential mates. We investigated such signals by examining (a) which individuals send them, (b) which contexts trigger them, and (c) how observers interpret them. Three experiments demonstrated that conspicuous consumption is driven by men who are following a lower investment (vs. higher investment) mating strategy and is triggered specifically by short-term (vs. long-term) mating motives. A fourth experiment showed that observers interpret such signals accurately, with women perceiving men who conspicuously consume as being interested in short-term mating. Furthermore, conspicuous purchasing enhanced men's desirability as a short-term (but not as a long-term) mate. Overall, these findings suggest that flaunting status-linked goods to potential mates is not simply about displaying economic resources. Instead, conspicuous consumption appears to be part of a more precise signaling system focused on short-term mating. These findings contribute to an emerging literature on human life-history strategies.
Intrinsic and extrinsic types of motivation have been widely studied, and the distinction between them has shed important light on both developmental and educational practices. In this review we revisit the classic definitions of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in light of contemporary research and theory. Intrinsic motivation remains an important construct, reflecting the natural human propensity to learn and assimilate. However, extrinsic motivation is argued to vary considerably in its relative autonomy and thus can either reflect external control or true self-regulation. The relations of both classes of motives to basic human needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness are discussed.
Earlier studies of loneliness have obtained quite confusing results about gender differences. This might be due to the fact that many earlier studies have used very limited and special samples. In the present study of 2795 representative Swedes, 15-80 years of age, it is found that there certainly is a gender difference in loneliness, but that this difference is restricted to married individuals between 20 and 49 years of age. Several possible explanations of this observation are tested, among them the assumption that women more willingly acknowledge their loneliness. This explanation is refuted by the fact that the gender difference in loneliness was not general but was restricted to a certain group of married respondents. Other hypotheses of the causes of the observed gender differences in loneliness are related to assumptions of women having higher expectations for intimacy in a relationship and women having lower self-esteem. Even if gender differences are shown to exist in these respects, they do not explain the observed gender differences in loneliness, neither do differences in the social networks of men and women. The results of the study cannot rule out the remaining explanation, that the observed gender differences in loneliness are due not to social-psychological factors, but to a more basic difference in which men and women react to the stresses and strains in a relationship.
Previous research found that aspirations to financial success related inversely to self-actualization and that aspirations to community involvement related positively to self-actualization. We argue that diverse reasons can underlie both of these aspirations, leading to more complex predictions. In a sample of 246 participants, we assessed both self-determining and controlling reasons for each class of aspiration, along with endorsements of the aspirations themselves. Initial regression analyses replicated the earlier findings. Subsequent analyses found that endorsement of self-determining reasons for either class of aspiration related positively to self-actualization and that endorsement of controlling reasons for either class of aspiration related inversely to self-actualization. In the analysis involving community involvement, the aspiration itself no longer retained predictive power after the other variables were taken into account. In the analysis involving financial success, however, the aspiration retained an independent predictive role.
People may value their possessions, in part, because ownership of goods promotes feelings of security. If so, increasing their sense of security should reduce the value they place on possessions. In two studies we tested this prediction. In Study 1, participants who were assigned randomly to write about an instance of receiving social support placed less monetary value on a blanket they owned relative to participants who were assigned randomly to write about a pleasant restaurant experience. In Study 2, participants who were unobtrusively primed with security-related words placed less monetary value on a pen they just received relative to participants who were primed with positive or neutral words. Results suggest that enhancing interpersonal security reduces valuing possessions.
A model is proposed for continuous longitudinal data with non-ignorable or informative drop-out (ID). The model combines a multivariate linear model for the underlying response with a logistic regression model for the drop-out process. The latter incorporates dependence of the probability of drop-out on unobserved, or missing, observations. Parameters in the model are estimated by using maximum likelihood (ML) and inferences drawn through conventional likelihood procedures. In particular, likelihood ratio tests can be used to assess the informativeness of the drop-out process through comparison of the full model with reduced models corresponding to random drop-out (RD) and completely random processes. A simulation study is used to assess the procedure in two settings: the comparison of time trends under a linear regression model with autocorrelated errors and the estimation of period means and treatment differences from a four-period four-treatment crossover trial. It is seen in both settings that, when data are generated under an ID process, the ML estimators from the ID model do not suffer from the bias that is present in the ordinary least suares and RD ML estimators. The approach is then applied to three examples. These derive from a milk protein trial involving three groups of cows, milk yield data from a study of mastitis in diary cattle and data from a multicentre clinical trial on the study of depression. All three examples provide evidence of an underlying ID process, two with some strength. It is seen that the assumption of an ID rather than an RD process has practical implications for the interpretation of the data.
The generality of latent variable modeling of individual differences in development over time is demonstrated with a particular emphasis on randomized intervention studies. First, a brief overview is given of biostatistical and psychometric approaches to repeated measures analysis. Second, the generality of the psychometric approach is indicated by some nonstandard models. Third, a multiple-population analysis approach is proposed for the estimation of treatment effects. The approach clearly describes the treatment effect as development that differs from normative, control-group development. This framework allows for interactions between treatment and initial status in their effects on development. Finally, an approach for the estimation of power to detect treatment effects in this framework is demonstrated. Illustrations of power calculations are carried out with artificial data, varying the sample sizes, number of timepoints, and treatment effect sizes. Real data are used to illustrate analysis strategies and power calculations. Further modeling extensions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Effect size is becoming an increasingly popular measure of the importance of an effect, both in individual studies and in meta-analyses. However, a large effect size is not the only way to demonstrate that an effect is important. This article describes 2 alternative methodological strategies, in which importance is a function of how minimal a manipulation of the independent variable or how difficult-to-influence a dependent variable will still produce an effect. These methodologies demonstrate the importance of an independent variable or psychological process, even though they often yield effects that are small in statistical terms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
What if being lonely were a bigger problem than we ever suspected? Based on John T. Cacioppo's pioneering research,
Loneliness explores the effects of this all-too-human experience, providing a fundamentally new view of the importance of social connection and how it can rescue us from painful isolation. His sophisticated studies relying on brain imaging, analysis of blood pressure, immune response, stress hormones, behavior, and even gene expression show that human beings are simply far more intertwined and interdependent—physiologically as well as psychologically—than our cultural assumptions have ever allowed us to acknowledge. Bringing urgency to the message, Cacioppo's findings also show that prolonged loneliness can be as harmful to your health as smoking or obesity. On the flip side, they demonstrate the therapeutic power of social connection and point the way toward making that healing balm available to everyone. Cacioppo has worked with science writer William Patrick to trace the evolution of these tandem forces, showing how, for our primitive ancestors, survival depended not on greater brawn but on greater commitments to and from one another. Serving as a prompt to repair frayed social bonds, the pain of loneliness engendered a fear response so powerfully disruptive that even now, millions of years later, a persistent sense of rejection or isolation can impair DNA transcription in our immune cells. This disruption also impairs thinking, will power, and perseverance, as well as our ability to read social signals and exercise social skills. It also limits our ability to internally regulate our emotions—all of which can combine to trap us in self-defeating behaviors that reinforce the very isolation and rejection that we dread.
Loneliness shows each of us how to overcome this feedback loop of defensive behaviors to achieve better health and greater happiness. For society, the potential payoff is the greater prosperity and social cohesion that follows from increased social trust. Ultimately,
Loneliness demonstrates the irrationality of our culture's intense focus on competition and individualism at the expense of family and community. It makes the case that the unit of one is actually an inadequate measure, even when it comes to the health and well-being of the individual. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Attachment theory posits that close interpersonal relationships provide people with psychological security across the lifespan. Research shows that when people perceive that close others are unreliable, they may seek alternative, non-social sources of security (e.g., deities). Building on this work, the authors hypothesized that attachment to objects compensates for threatened attachment security when close others are unreliable. Partic-ipants primed with close others', but not strangers', unreliability reported increased attachment to belongings (Study 1), and this effect was mediated by feelings of attachment anxiety (concern over close others' availabili-ty), but not attachment avoidance (avoiding emotional dependence; Study 2), suggesting that object attachment compensates for the perception that close others are unreliable rather than consistently rejecting. In Study 3, when a valued belonging was removed, participants primed with uncertainty about their relationships showed increased separation anxiety and motivation to reunite with the belonging, regardless of the belonging's perceived importance for facilitating relationships.
Three studies tested the hypothesis that people may turn to materialism when they face uncertainties in modern life. Study 1 showed that anomie and self-doubt are significant predictors of materialistic orientations; other plausible antecedents have less predictive value. In Study 2, participants experiencing chronic self-doubt showed a higher level of materialism if they were primed to experience doubt and insecurity. In Study 3, participants with chronic perceptions of anomie showed a higher level of materialism if they were primed with the concept of normlessness. Together, these three studies show that some people turn to materialism when they experience uncertainty within the self (self-doubt) or perceive uncertainty relating to society (anomie). © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Our treatment of material possession love expands an understanding of the role that discrete emotional attachment forms play in identifying commercial value for marketers and in enhancing consumer well-being. Employing a mixed-methods research design—relying on both qualitative and quantitative data—we develop and empirically test a three-factor, but seven-faceted, conceptualization of material possession love in four separate consumption contexts (automobiles, computers, bicycles, and firearms). We find love-smitten consumers nurturing their beloved possessions, in part, by buying complementary products and services. We also find that material possession love is empirically tied to loneliness and social affiliation deficits, which suggests a compensatory basis of consumer well-being. We distinguish possession love from the construct of attitude and empirically demonstrate the distinct functionality of each. Our concluding discussion considers our mixed-methods findings and their implications for consumer research.
Previous research has shown that materialism relates negatively to satisfaction with many life domains. The present study
broadens this body of research by examining the relationship between three dimensions of materialism and eight quality of
life (QOL) domains in a large, diverse sample of U.S. respondents. Two hypotheses were tested: First, overall measures of
materialism and satisfaction with QOL were thought to be inversely related. Second, the three dimensions of materialism and
QOL domains were hypothesized to be negatively correlated. Results show that overall materialism and its happiness dimension
were consistently negatively related to all eight measures of QOL. Materialism’s centrality and success dimensions were negatively
correlated with seven and six of the eight QOL domains, respectively. Findings are discussed in light of Humanistic and Organismic
theories, and other implications are considered.
Although people generally endorse intrinsic goals for growth, intimacy, and community more than extrinsic goals for money,
appearance, and popularity, people sometimes over-emphasize extrinsic goals, to the potential detriment of their well-being. When and why does this occur? Results from three experimental studies show that psychological threat increases the priority that people give to extrinsic compared to intrinsic goals. This was found in the case of existential
threat (Study 1), economic threat (Studies 2), and interpersonal threat (Study 3). Discussion focuses on the possible reasons
why threat breeds extrinsic orientations.
Studies into the consequences of pursuing a materialisticlifestyle have found that materialism is negatively related tolife satisfaction. While most of these studies have beenconducted using American samples, the few reported studies usingAustralian samples have limitations that the current study soughtto address. Using a sample of 162 Australian adults and animproved methodology, a negative relationship was found, in thatthose individuals who were high in materialism were lesssatisfied with their `life as a whole' and with specific `lifedomains' than those who were low in materialism. The implicationsof these findings for future research are discussed.
The share of the population aged 60 and over is projected to increase in nearly every country in the world during the period 2005--50. Population ageing will tend to lower both labour-force participation and savings rates, thereby raising concerns about a future slowing of economic growth. Our calculations suggest that OECD countries are likely to see modest--but not catastrophic--declines in the rate of economic growth. However, behavioural responses (including greater female labour-force participation) and policy reforms (including an increase in the legal age of retirement) can mitigate the economic consequences of an older population. In most non-OECD countries, declining fertility rates will cause labour-force-to-population ratios to rise as the shrinking share of young people will more than offset the skewing of adults towards the older ages. These factors suggest that population ageing will not significantly impede the pace of economic growth in developing countries. Copyright 2010, Oxford University Press.
Loneliness is a complex set of feelings encompassing reactions to the absence of intimate and social needs. Although transient for some individuals, loneliness can be a chronic state for others. We review the developmental, social, personality, clinical, and counseling psychology literatures on loneliness with an emphasis on recent empirical findings. Chronic feelings of loneliness appear to have roots in childhood and early attachment processes. Chronically lonely individuals are more likely to be high in negative affectivity, act in a socially withdrawn fashion, lack trust in self and others, feel little control over success or failure, and generally be dissatisfied with their relationships compared to nonlonely individuals. Loneliness has also been associated with a variety of individual differences including depression, hostility, pessimism, social withdrawal, alienation, shyness, and low positive affect; loneliness is also a concomitant of more severe disorders, such as clinical depression, borderline personality, and schizophrenia. Although loneliness affects a large number of individuals and is associated with numerous negative outcomes, relatively few investigations have examined the efficacy of treatments aimed at alleviating or preventing loneliness. Several investigations raise the possibility of treating loneliness, but the absence of appropriate comparison groups casts doubt on the efficacy of many of these treatments. Correlational studies also suggest that one close friend or romantic partner may be sufficient to buffer those at risk for loneliness. Research on causal processes is sparse, however, and more research is needed to delineate which factors are antecedents and which are consequences of loneliness.
Video-based media spaces are designed to support casual interaction between intimate collaborators. Yet transmitting video is fraught with privacy concerns. Some researchers suggest that the video stream be filtered to mask out potentially sensitive ...
Self-determination theory (SDT) maintains that an understanding of human motivation requires a consideration of innate psychological needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness. We discuss the SDT concept of needs as it relates to previous need theories, emphasizing that needs specify the necessary conditions for psychological growth, integrity, and well-being. This concept of needs leads to the hypotheses that different regulatory processes underlying goal pursuits are differentially associated with effective functioning and well-being and also that different goal contents have different relations to the quality of behavior and mental health, specifically because different regulatory processes and different goal contents are associated with differing degrees of need satisfaction. Social contexts and individual differences that support satisfaction of the basic needs facilitate natural growth processes including intrinsically motivated behavior and integration of extrinsic motivations, whereas those that forestall autonomy, competence, or relatedness are associated with poorer motivation, performance, and well-being. We also discuss the relation of the psychological needs to cultural values, evolutionary processes, and other contemporary motivation theories.
Four studies explored the motivational and experiential dynamics of psychological needs, applying both self-determination theory and motive disposition theory. In all 4 studies, motive dispositions toward achievement and affiliation ("wanting" particular experiences) predicted corresponding feelings of competence and relatedness ("having" those experiences). Competence and relatedness in turn predicted well-being, again indicating that these 2 experiences may really be "needed." Illuminating how wanting gets to having, in Studies 2 and 3, participants reported greater self-concordance for motive-congruent goals, which, in longitudinal Study 3, predicted greater attainment of those goals and thus enhanced well-being. Study 4 replicated selected earlier results using an implicit as well as an explicit motive disposition measure. Supporting the presumed universality of competence and relatedness needs, in no studies did motive dispositions moderate the effects of corresponding need-satisfaction on well-being. Discussion focuses on a "sequential process" model of psychological needs that views needs as both motives that instigate and outcomes that reward behavior.
Longitudinal data analysis has long played a significant role in empirical research within the developmental sciences. The past decade has given rise to a host of new and exciting analytic methods for studying between-person differences in within-person change. These methods are broadly organized under the term growth curve models. The historical lines of development leading to current growth models span multiple disciplines within both the social and statistical sciences, and this in turn makes it challenging for developmental researchers to gain a broader understanding of the current state of this literature. To help address this challenge, the authors pose 12 questions that frequently arise in growth curve modeling, particularly in applications within developmental psychology. They provide concise and nontechnical responses to each question and make specific recommendations for further readings.
Obra que estudia cómo las nuevas tecnologías de comunicación y las redes sociales que a través de ellas se han generado dan soporte a una nueva forma de establecer relaciones entre las personas y, por lo tanto, de nuevas formas de soledad.
The past decade has seen a noticeable shift in missing data handling techniques that assume a missing at random (MAR) mechanism, where the propensity for missing data on an outcome is related to other analysis variables. Although MAR is often reasonable, there are situations where this assumption is unlikely to hold, leading to biased parameter estimates. One such example is a longitudinal study of substance use where participants with the highest frequency of use also have the highest likelihood of attrition, even after controlling for other correlates of missingness. There is a large body of literature on missing not at random (MNAR) analysis models for longitudinal data, particularly in the field of biostatistics. Because these methods allow for a relationship between the outcome variable and the propensity for missing data, they require a weaker assumption about the missing data mechanism. This article describes 2 classic MNAR modeling approaches for longitudinal data: the selection model and the pattern mixture model. To date, these models have been slow to migrate to the social sciences, in part because they required complicated custom computer programs. These models are now quite easy to estimate in popular structural equation modeling programs, particularly Mplus. The purpose of this article is to describe these MNAR modeling frameworks and to illustrate their application on a real data set. Despite their potential advantages, MNAR-based analyses are not without problems and also rely on untestable assumptions. This article offers practical advice for implementing and choosing among different longitudinal models.