Signs of a non materialistic woman

Signs of a non materialistic woman

Sarah C. Newcomb Ph.D.

Loaded

Material Girl, Miserable Girl

How materialistic values rob us of joy

Posted June 6, 2017

Signs of a non materialistic woman
Source: Source: Shutterstock, photo By Dmitry_Tsvetkov, callout added

Materialism. The bedrock of consumer culture. The fuel that powers our economic - and in many ways our social engines. Where would we be without our designer clothes, handbags, cars, mc-mansions, and smartphones? Wed be a heck of a lot happier according to Dr. Tim Kasser, professor of psychology at Knox College.

Kasser has spent the last few decades studying the relationship between materialism and life satisfaction, and his research (along with that of many others in this field) points to a very clear result: materialism is unhealthy. This is not a moral judgment about right and wrong, but an impassive verdict drawn from observing the effects of a materialistic value system on physical, emotional, financial, and social health. In Kassers own words:

Substantial evidence shows that people who place a relatively high priority on materialistic values/goals consume more products and incur more debt, have lower-quality interpersonal relationships, act in more ecologically destructive ways, have adverse work and educational motivation, and report lower personal and physical well-being. (Kasser, 2016)

Well.

That sounds pretty damning to me.

But what do we mean when we talk about materialism? What exactly is this menacing force that erodes wellbeing, and do we have to take a vow of poverty to avoid it? This article will touch on three major themes

  1. What is the specific definition of materialism that social scientists most often use in this kind of study?
  2. Is asceticism the cure?
  3. What are some methods for escaping materialisms toxic grip?

What is materialism, exactly?

The psychological definition of materialism describes a value system based on material goods, or wealth itself, as the basis for determining success and personal worth. Russel Belk, a rock star of consumer psychology whose pioneering work focused on the possession-self link, defined materialism in this way:

"Materialism reflects the importance a consumer attaches to worldly possessions. At the highest levels of materialism, such possessions assume a central place in a person's life and are believed to provide the greatest sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction in life" Belk, 1984, p. 291

How is it measured? They typical measure used to determine a persons level of materialism is called the Material Values Scale (MVS). The first version of this measure was developed in 1990, and its methods were published in Advances in Consumer Research. The original researchers noted that material values fell into four main themes:

  1. The extent to which a person uses possessions to indicate success or achievement to others.
  2. The extent to which a person derives pleasure from material items.
  3. The belief that more possessions lead to more happiness.
  4. Its opposite, asceticism. The extent to which a persons values are hostile to consumption of material goods acts as a counter-measure.

The MVS has since been altered by other researchers into various other forms meant to shorten, strengthen, or otherwise tailor it to their specific purposes. Regardless of length or application, the MVS is a measure of the extent to which a person believes that personal success, value and/or happiness can be found in material wealth. The MVS asks people to rate their level of agreement or disagreement with certain statements, and includes items like,

I like to own things that impress people, and, Buying things gives me a lot of pleasure.

Before you judge, think about it. How many of us dont like being impressive? How many of us havent enjoyed the thrill of purchasing some new gadget, gear, or home furnishings that really fit with our desired self-image?

Its easy to say, Im not materialistic, but society says otherwise. Somebody is buying all those new Lexuses and Louis Vuitton bags. Somebody is turning in their iPhone 6 for the 7. Theres no benefit to lying to ourselves. The point here is that we all have a bit of materialism in us. Its the amount that matters, which brings me to my next point.

Should we all become ascetic hermits?

No.

Enjoying the beauty and feel of a special piece of clothing, or the comfort of a well-designed living room is not going to make you unhappy. The lesson of this research is not that material belongings themselves make us vacuous human beings. In fact, some recent research out of Harvard suggests that the happiest people are those who DO spendin alignment with their core values (Norton). A person who values adventure, then, will be happiest if she spends her extra cash on travel, exciting excursions, or collecting new experiences. A person who values relationships highly might be happiest spending money on helping the people they love, buying gifts, or visiting friends. To the extent that money can buy physical security, safety, and help us reach our deeper emotional life goals, spending can be a source of joy. Some level of material consumption is perfectly healthy. As Kasser puts it:

Materialistic values become unhealthy when they are highly important in comparison with other values for which we might strive. (Kasser, 2002, p. 111, emphasis mine)

Ah, theres the rub. If our materialism overwhelms our other, intrinsic values (which Kasser defines as those that focus on self-acceptance, personal growth, relationships and intimacy, community, and feelings of helpfulness) then we will find ourselves deprived of the very quality of life we seek. In other words, if the goal of acquiring that new car, getting that next raise, buying that bigger house, or any other material goal becomes more important than nurturing your friendships, accepting and liking yourself as you are, or helping your community, then youre on the road to unhappiness.

How do we change our values to bring more satisfaction?

So, what do we do if weve unwittingly wandered into the grips of materialism? When all the world tells us that our value is in our zip code, our salary, or club membership, how do we fight the tide? Kasser has some suggestions in his 2002 book, The High Price of Materialism, and I have a couple as well.

From Kasser:

1. Focus on the science. For many people, just knowing that there is substantial evidence that people who are highly materialistic tend to be more unhappy is enough to shake off the pressure to spend.

2. Face your fears head-on. What are you afraid will happen if you dont buy that car? If you dont renew your country club membership? If you dont live in the best neighborhood? This can give you a clue into what deep needs you are trying to meet with those purchases. Are you afraid you will lose touch with your friends if you arent on the golf course every Saturday? Are you afraid that people will look down on you if you live in an apartment instead of a house? Think deeper. Why would people come to those conclusions? Do you want to build and maintain friendships with people who base your worth to them on the stuff you have?

Some additional ideas:

It may also be helpful to create a new definition of what it means to be a successful person. Maybe all your life youve been told that success means the corner office and a seven figure salary. Look at the people who have that. Do they seem deeply fulfilled? How has materialism served the people you know who follow it? If the research is to be believed, they may have all the toys, but they arent as happy as others.

I had a finance professor who offered this definition of success:

Are you excited to go to work? Are you excited to go home after work? If you answered yes to both, then you are successful.

Kasser and his colleagues point us to the fact that material goods are just strategies to meet deeper, emotional goals. I have written extensively on the importance of distinguishing between our strategies and the underlying needs they attempt to meet. My recent book, LOADED deals with this concept in depth with respect to spending. The research discussed here suggests that these financial strategies often fail to truly meet the underlying needs. If we really want to feel fulfilled we will nurture our own self-acceptance, our intimate relationships, and our communities. Thats the recipe for happiness.

References

Belk, Russell W. (1985), Materialism: Trait aspects of living in the material world, Journal of Consumer Research, 12 (December), 265-80.

Kasser, Tim. (2002) The High Price of Materialism, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.

Kasser, Tim. (2016) Materialistic Values and Goals, Annual Review of Psychology, 67, 489-514

Richins, Marcia and Dawson, Scott (1990) Measuring Material Values: a Preliminary Report of Scale Development", Advances in Consumer Research, 17, 169-175.

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