More money problems? The relationship between materialistic goals and well-being.
Authors
Walsh, Orla
Issue Date
2013
Degree
Higher Diploma in Arts in Psychology
Publisher
Dublin Business School
Rights holder
Rights
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Abstract
This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between materialism and well-being among students (n=125) and non-students (n=87). Students were recruited via Dublin Business School and non-students via informal networks. Participants completed quantitative self-report questionnaires related to materialism, well-being, satisfaction with life and religiosity. Measures included the Aspiration's index, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the General Health Questionnaire and the Duke University Religion Index. Results showed that there was no overall relationship between materialism and well-being. Students were more extrinsically orientated than non-students. Finally, younger prople and those with lower levels of education were more likely to be extrinsically orientated. These findings indicate that the incidence of materialism reported in research may be exaggerated due to the reliance on student samples. Author keywords: materialism, extrinsic goals, intrinsic goals, well-being, satisfaction with life, religiosity