Effects of Materialism on Well-Being: A Review

Materialism as a research topic has gained currency for over past two decades. Studies reveal that in consumer societies, people are trying to capture happiness and satisfaction in the form of possession of luxury goods. Materialism is characterized by a pursuit of wealth taking precedence over higher level needs. Well-being is a comprehensive term for the psychological, physical, social, or economic state of an individual or group. The researchers have found evidence to support the belief that materialism shares a negative relationship with wellbeing. Several researches have documented that materialistic lifestyle is allied with low subjective well-being. In light of past researches, this paper attempts to review the literature to trace this relationship between these two variables. The overall argument of the paper is that materialistic tendencies are detrimental to the well being of an individual. The paper concludes with the research directions to carry the research on materialism and well being forward.