Beyond Materialism
A funny thing happened to psychologist Susan Krause Whitbourne. She
thought she was researching how personality changes over the course of
adulthood. But when she looked at the results of her longitudinal study,
she was staring straight at the philosophical malaise of modern
Americans.
What she found was that since the mid-1960s, when she started her
study, Americans have lost a sense of personal meaning. They're working
more -but far more full of despair.
In all three cohorts of adults she has added, tested, and retested
over 22 years, every measure of psychosocial development improved with
age. Except one. In her most recent round of testing, she was surprised
to see a "precipitous decline" in ego integrity, a personality factor
relating to wholeness, honesty, and meaning in life and to having a sense
of connection with others.
At first she thought it was restricted to the yuppie generation of
her study - people with a "notoriously empty lifestyle focused on wealth
and possessions," she reports in the Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology (Vol. 63, No. 2). But when it turned up in all three groups at
the same time, she could only conclude it reflects "a more general
society-wide crisis of morality and purpose affecting adults of all
ages."
A professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts,
Whitbourne began testing personality variables at the University of
Rochester in 1966. Students scored low on industry; they lacked "a focus
on work and material success." Like others of their era, they were
disenchanted with the work ethic.
Over time, and with exposure to the real world, their personal
industry began to climb. By 1988, when yet another cohort joined the
study, the three groups were equally slaving away. But ego integrity had
plummeted. All three groups were now questioning life's worth.
What happened between 1977 and 1988? "People got caught up in
chasing the materialistic dream. They got recognition for their
achievements, yet don't feel that what they are doing matters in the
larger scheme of things."
The scores on life satisfaction were so low, Whitbourne says, they
couldn't go any lower. She thinks people are now looking for ways to put
more meaning in life. There are no data. "My belief," she confides, "is
based on hope."
ILLUSTRATION: (DANUTA JAREKA)
THE END OF "IMAGE"
YOU'RE NO LONGER INTERESTED IN promiscuous spending or impressing
the neighbors. You may spend dollars, but you demand substance and
quality. Value means more to you than trendiness. You're not suffering
from atrophy of desire. You've just discovered the limits of materialism.
Enter the psychology of limitations. There's a dramatic shift in values
and attitudes that drive the consumer behavior that drives the U.S.
economy, says psychologist Lynne Kahle, Ph.D., head of marketing at the
University of Oregon. Instead of being well-respected by others, it's
self-respect you now seek.
In marketplace jargon, you're "role-relaxed"; you don't conform to
any role. Here's the profile Kahle draws of you today, versus a decade
ago:
THEN:
value being well-respected
money can buy happiness
conspicuous consumption
consumptions shows status
envy of possessions
possessiveness
nongenerous
expensive means quality
"Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous"
NOW:
value self-respect
money buys quality products
unpretentious consumption
status doesn't matter
satisfied with quality
products are means to ends
may or may not be generous
purchases should be practical
"Consumer Reports"
Maybe, just maybe, that augurs an end to those Michael Jackson
Pepsi commercials. If we - finally - own our own minds, who needs
celebrity pitches?
ILLUSTRATION
Tags:
22 years,
aging,
cohort,
cohorts,
consumerism,
ego,
journal of personality,
journal of personality and social psychology,
krause,
longitudinal study,
material success,
materialism,
mid 1960s,
personality changes,
personality variables,
precipitous decline,
status,
university of massachusetts,
university of rochester,
work ethic,
yuppie generation
