Materialism and Self: Key Terms

A set of vocabulary-style flashcards covering key concepts from the notes on materialism, the self, causes and impacts, and related cultural and psychological ideas.

Materialism

A belief/system that reality is material and that the highest ideals may be material achievement; can refer to concern with the material world or to the view that there is only physical matter and no real spiritual nature.

Cultural Materialism

A form of materialism where material conditions and economic factors influence culture; the term may also refer to materialist ideas within culture.

Material Self

The part of the self composed of possessions and what a person owns (body, clothes, home, etc.), which contributes to one’s sense of self.

Self (William James)'

Concept of the self as “all things a person believes to be his or hers,” which contributes to the material self.

Material Self Components

Four elements: Our Body, Clothes, Home, and Immediate Family.

Grass is Greener Syndrome

Belief that other people are in a better situation, fueling materialist comparisons.

Hoarding

An instinct to accumulate resources for later use.

Desire to Fit In

Pressure to blend with social expectations to be accepted.

Commercial Conditioning

Advertising and marketing practices that shape desires and consumer behavior.

Glorification of Item Possession

Societal emphasis on owning material goods and equating them with success.

Need for Acceptance, Love, and Status

Craving recognition and rank as part of social survival.

Impact on Well-Being

Materialism is linked to lower well-being, less prosocial behavior, and negative life outcomes; social media can intensify these attitudes.

Materialism and Media Exposure

Higher advertising expenditure and media dominance correlate with increased materialistic attitudes among youth.

Materialism and Social Media Use

Increased social media usage is associated with higher levels of materialism.

Planned Obsolescence

The idea that products are designed to become obsolete or out-of-date, prompting repeated purchases.

Price of Anything = Life You Exchange

A way of expressing the opportunity cost: what you trade in time and life to obtain a purchase.

Experiences vs. Possessions

Experiences tend to bring more happiness than owning material goods.

Biblical Reflection on Treasures

Do not store up earthly treasures; store up treasures in heaven; where your heart is, there your treasure will be.