A Consumer Values Orientation for Materialism and Its Measurement: Scale Development and Validation
1992/12/01 by Marsha L. Richins, Scott Dawson · 3,334 citations
Business, Management and Accounting · Mathematics · Psychology · #Centrality #Computer science #Construct (python library) #Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification #Cultural Differences and Values #Epistemology #Happiness #Interpersonal communication #Materialism #Mathematics #Possession (linguistics) #Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction #Psychology #Scale (ratio) #Social psychology #Statistics
paper · doi:10.1086/209304
published in Journal of Consumer Research 19(3), 303 (Oxford University Press)
openalex publication_date 1992/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Abstract
This article reviews the construct and measurement of materialism and concludes that materialism is appropriately conceptualized as a consumer value. The development of a values-oriented materialism scale with three components—acquisition centrality, acquisition as the pursuit of happiness, and possession-defined success—is described. In validation tests high scorers (compared with low scorers) desired a higher level of income, placed greater emphasis on financial security and less on interpersonal relationships, preferred to spend more on themselves and less on others, engaged in fewer voluntary simplicity behaviors, and were less satisfied with their lives.
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