research over the last ten years has moved the issue of materialism's effects on well-being out of the realm of speculation into the arena of science. He and his colleagues have found an empiritcal basis for concluding what many people have intuited since at least Bible times, that "the flesh profiteth nothing." John 6:36. Associate professor of psychology at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, Kasser is author of The High Price of Materialism and coeditor with of the just-released Psychology and Consumer Culture: The Struggle for a Good Life in a Materialistic World. For many, his conclusions underline the importance of pursuing life-styles founded on healthier, spiritually grounded principles—the kind that empower individuals and contribute to the welfare of others. The Journal spoke with him recently about his research.
What is materialism, and what effect does it have on people?
I define materialism as the desire for money or financial success—it's the desire for the things that consumer culture tells us to have, the desire for physical possessions, the desire for the right image and status, for rewards and praise. Materialism is about desire, wanting those kinds of things, and beliving that they are important to strive for in life, relative to other things that you might strive for.
