Showing papers by "Aric Rindfleisch published in 2002"

Materialism and Well-Being: A Conflicting Values Perspective

Abstract: Over the past decade, materialism has emerged as an important research topic Materialism is generally viewed as the value placed on the acquisition of material objects Previous research finds that high levels of material values are negatively associated with subjective well-being However, relatively little is known about the relationship between materialism and well-being within the broader context of an individual's value system In this article, we examine the relationship between material values and other important life values In addition, we draw on values theory to examine a novel conceptualization of why materialism is antithetical to well-being Specifically, our theory proposes that the individual orientation of material values conflicts with collective-oriented values, such as family values and religious values This state of values conflict creates psychological tension, and this tension is associated with a reduced sense of well-being Using both a survey sample of 373 adults from across the United States and an experimental study of 120 college students, we find considerable support for this conflicting values perspective