L8 - Consumption & Happiness

Question 1

Describe findings from research on materialism and well-being

Higher levels of materialism associated with…

Answer 1

Materialism = the importance a consumer attaches to worldly possessions

Higher levels of materialism are associated with:
o Higher levels of compulsive buying
o Lower levels of psychological adjustment and social functioning
o Higher levels of unhappiness

Question 2

Discuss whether material purchases or experiential purchases make us happier

Study 1 by Van Boven & Gilovich (2003)

Study 2 by Van Boven & Gilovich (2003)

Answer 2

Study 1
- Uni students
- Described and evaluated the most recent purchase they had made for more than $100 in order to make themselves happier
o Experiential or material purchase
o Examples of participants’ responses:
 Clothing, TVs (most considered these to be material)
 Travel, concert tickets (most considered these to be experiential)
- Results: participants reported that experiential purchases made them happier than material purchases
o Also reported experiential purchases were money better spent

Study 2
- Community sample (large national phone survey)
- Were asked to:
o Think about an experiential and a material purchase they had made during their lifetime
o Report which purchase makes them happier (could choose ‘unsure’)
- Results:
o 57% said that the experiential purchase made them happier than the material purchase
o 34% said material purchase made them happier
o The “experiential advantage” effect held across different demographic groups

Question 3

Evaluate whether happiness from material and experiential purchases depends on social class

Answer 3

o	Higher social class: greater focus on internal states (tends to be greater evidence on the self, self-expression etc.) 
	Therefore those from higher social class people experience greater happiness from experiential purchases because they focus on the self
o	Lower social class: greater concern about the wise use of resources
	Greater happiness from material purchases

Suggestive evidence of moderating role of social class:
o In van Boven and Gilovich (study 2), the experiential advantage was weaker among lower income groups
o Meta-analysis of studies with college students as participants
 Greater experiential advantage among higher social class (used proxy indicators of social class)

Question 4

Consider whether it is possible to classify all purchases as either material or experiential

Answer 4

Material purchases and experiential purchases are a false dichotomy
o How would you classify a guitar, book, phone?
o You purchase these things in order to have experiential moments – can be difficult to categorise

Experiential products: products that afford a life experience
o Produces the same positive effects as experiences

Question 5

Discuss possible future directions for research on consumption and happiness

Answer 5

Different aspects of happiness:
o Happiness form pleasure (hedonia) vs. from meaning (Eudaimonia)
o Momentary happiness vs. ‘afterglow’ effect

Effects of:
o Reduced consumption (e.g. temporarily consuming less)
o Underconsumption (i.e. thrift)