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If you are a parent, you may be concerned that materialism in children is on the rise. According to research, materialism is related to various mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, as well as selfish attitudes and behaviors.
But there is good news. A new study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology suggests that some parenting tactics may hinder the materialistic tendencies of children.
"Our results show that it is possible to reduce materialism among young consumers, as well as one of its most common negative consequences (non-generosity) using a simple strategy: to foster gratitude for things and people in their life, "writes researcher Lan Nguyen. Chaplin, associate professor of marketing at the University of Illinois at Chicago and co-author of the study.
After studying a national sample of over 900 adolescents aged 11 to 17, the Chaplin team discovered a link between reinforcing gratitude and its effects on materialism, suggesting that having and expressing gratitude can eventually reduce materialism and increase generosity among adolescents.
The team interviewed 870 adolescents and asked them to take an online eight-point materialism measure evaluating the value placed on money and material goods, as well as a four-point measure of gratitude assessing their gratitude for the people and the goods of their life.
The researchers then conducted an experiment with 61 adolescents and asked them to complete the same four-item gratitude measure from the first study and an eight-item materialism measure. The teens were randomly assigned to keep a daily diary for two weeks. One group was asked to record who and what they were grateful for each day by keeping a gratitude journal, and the control group was asked to record their daily activities.
After two weeks, the papers were collected and the participants fulfilled the same measures of gratitude and materialism as before. The children then received US $ 10 bills to participate and told them that they could keep all the money or donate it, in whole or in part, to charity.
The results showed that participants who were encouraged to keep a journal of gratitude showed a significant decrease in materialism and an increase in their gratitude. The control group, which kept the journal of daily activities, maintained its levels of gratitude and materialism before the newspaper.
In addition, the group that ran a gratitude journal was more generous than the control group. The teenagers, who were part of the experimental group, explained to whom and what they were grateful for and gave over two-thirds of their earnings. Those in the control group who simply wrote about their daily activities gave less than half of their earnings.
"The results of this survey study indicate that higher levels of gratitude are associated with lower materialism levels among adolescents in a wide range of demographic groups," said Chaplin.
The authors also suggest that materialism can be mastered and that feelings of gratitude can be reinforced by daily reflection on gratitude around the table, asking children and adolescents to make posters of what they are grateful for or by keeping a "pot of gratitude" in which children and teens write something for which they are grateful each week while fighting against materialism.
Source of the story:
Material provided by University of Illinois at Chicago. Note: Content can be changed for style and length.
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