Tag Archives: materialism

Does sharing make us happy? The impact of shared products on consumer happiness

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In a world increasingly defined by the sharing economy, where communal access to products takes precedence over ownership, a new article by Taiyang Zhao (Jilin University) et al. (2023) sheds light on the unexpected consequences of this trend. Titled “Shared but Unhappy,” the research explores the detrimental effects of using shared products on psychological ownership and consumer happiness.

The findings, derived from three experimental studies, reveal a stark contrast between using owned products and shared products. Consumers experience greater psychological ownership deprivation and lower happiness when using shared products. This is particularly relevant for certain consumer groups, such as materialistic consumers and those facing perceived financial constraints. In conclusion, the study underlines the importance of considering psychological ownership and consumer happiness in the ongoing discourse around shared products.

You can read more about the research of Zhao et al. (2023) here.

Owning our beliefs: Mental materialism and intellectual arrogance

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Expanding concepts of materialism and territoriality from material objects to beliefs, new research by Aiden P. Gregg, Nikhila Mahadevan, and Constantine Sedikides (University of Southampton) suggests that people view their core beliefs as valued possessions and develop a sense of mental materialism towards them. As a consequence, people might react with a sense of ideological territoriality when they have to fight to protect their beliefs, which can lead to intellectual arrogance. The authors examine how differences in communion and agency predict whether people take a hostile epistemic stance (rejecting reality) or a deferential one (embracing reality).

You can read more about this research here.