Growing up in a Material World: Age Differences in Materialism in Children and Adolescents

We examine age differences in materialism with children and adolescents 8–18 years old. In study 1, we find materialism increases from middle childhood to early adolescence and declines from early to late adolescence. Further, we find that age differences are mediated by changes in self-esteem occurring from middle childhood through adolescence. In study 2, we prime self-esteem to obtain further evidence of a causal link between self-esteem and materialism. As expected, we find that inducing high self-esteem decreases expressions of materialism. Inducing high self-esteem reduces materialism among adolescents so dramatically that age differences in materialism disappear. Contemporary American tweens and teens have emerged as the most brand-oriented, con-sumer-involved, and materialistic generation in history. And they top the list globally.... More children here than anywhere else believe that their clothes and brands describe who they are and define their social status. (Schor 2004, 13) Concerns over the rising level of materialism in childrenand adolescents are increasing among parents, edu-cators, and social scientists. In a recent national survey, 95% of adults say that children are too focused on buying and consuming things, and almost 80 % agree that limits should