Materialism and Quality of Life

The theory posits that overall life satisfaction (quality of life) is partly determined by satisfaction with standard of living, and this is determined by evaluations of one's actual standard of living compared to a set goal. Materialists experience greater dissatisfaction because their goals are inflated, and this causes dissatisfaction with life in general. Goals set by materialists are more influenced by affective-based expectations than cognitive-based ones. Their ideal standard of living expectations are influenced by social comparisons involving remote referents. They compare themselves with others who seem to have more income and work no harder, generating feelings of inequity, injustice, anger or envy. The proclivity to overconsume and underproduce may be partly responsible for materialists' inflated and value-laden expectations of their standard of living. (Original abstract - amended)