2021/06/03 by Anne V Wilson, Silvia Bellezza · 211 citations
Business, Management and Accounting · Psychology · #Aesthetics #Art #Business #Computer science #Construct (python library) #Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification #Consumer Retail Behavior Studies #Consumption (sociology) #Environmental Sustainability in Business #Epistemology #Frugality #Human–computer interaction #Marketing #Materialism #Minimalism (technical communication) #Nomological network #Philosophy #Psychology #Scale (ratio) #Simplicity
paper · doi:10.1093/jcr/ucab038
published in Journal of Consumer Research 48(5), 796-816 (Oxford University Press)
openalex publication_date 2021/06/03 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
Abstract Minimalism in consumption can be expressed in various forms, such as monochromatic home design, wardrobe capsules, tiny home living, and decluttering. This research offers a unified understanding of the variegated displays of minimalism by establishing a conceptual definition of consumer minimalism and developing the 12-item Minimalist Consumer Scale to measure the construct. Three distinct dimensions of consumer minimalism are identified: number of possessions (reflecting the ownership of few possessions), sparse aesthetic (reflecting the preference for simple and uncomplicated designs), and mindfully curated consumption (reflecting the thoughtful selection of possessions). A series of studies, using samples from a variety of populations (N = 3,735) demonstrates the validity and reliability of the tridimensional Minimalist Consumer Scale, situates the measure conceptually and empirically within a broader nomological network of related constructs (e.g., voluntary simplicity, frugality, green values, materialism), and documents the scale’s ability to predict relevant consumer preferences and behaviors.