Materialism and Life Satisfaction: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Although it is widely believed that materialism leads to satisfaction, empirical studies suggest the opposite: that materialism is negatively correlated with life satisfaction. This article integratively reviews studies which have examined the materialism/satisfaction relationship. It shows that the negative correlation between these variables is consistent across all studies. The integrative review is followed by a critique which discusses this negative relationship, suggesting that ideological bias may be a factor in the research findings. The article concludes with suggestions for future research.