Unhappiness in children leads to a loss of self-esteem. In these cases there is, in turn, a strong likelihood in that these children will become materialistic — focused on outside stimuli, which all cost money, to offer them temporary satisfaction in life. A study was conducted by Suzanna J Opree and her fellow researchers at the Amsterdam School of Communication Research, with the objective of understanding the correlation between materialism and life satisfaction in children.
Another objective of the study was to find out the impact of advertising and materialism in children.
The study conducted involved a sample of 466 children in the age group of 8 to 11 years, out of which about 55% were girls. The study was primarily focused on the tween group, as it is believed that materialism typically sets in at the age of 8. This is when children begin to be able to understand the symbolic meaning of products, on average, which is important for the development of materialistic leanings.
The children who participated in the study were asked to fill out two online surveys spaced at an interval of one year. The survey involved asking questions related to life satisfaction, material possessions, and advertising. The children were asked questions related to their happiness while at home and at school. They were also asked questions related to their happiness with their lives, friends, and families.
The study participants were asked to rate the importance of material possessions in their lives, and to indicate whether these possessions could bring happiness in their lives and win more friends. The questions were devised to gauge the advertisement exposure by analyzing the amount of time spent on watching nine specific television shows which featured the maximum number of advertisements. To interpret the results of the surveys, various structural equation models were devised using these parameters as the variables.
Happier children are less materialistic
The primary outcome of the study was that it was proven that life satisfaction had an effect on materialism in children but only when they were frequently exposed to advertisements. It was found that a happier child was less materialistic in comparison to an unhappy child.
The study proved that unhappy children are more likely to become materialistic over a period of time if they spend hours glued to the television screen, where they are exposed to a constant barrage of adverts trying to convince them that they need certain products or services in their lives.
The children whose life satisfaction quotient was low but spent very little time watching TV did not become more materialistic, on the other hand. One of the main conclusions of the study was that low life satisfaction was a cause for materialistic leanings in children who were frequently exposed to TV advertising.
On the contrary, materialism did not have any effect on the life satisfaction quotient of the children. If the children were happy, they did not feel disappointed about not having the products they wanted. This was found true even when they were frequently exposed to TV advertising, in a very interesting twist.
Countering Materialism in Children
As per Suzanna Opree, the lead researcher of this study, the main reason for materialism in unhappy children is the way in which advertisements try to sell their products. The message conveyed by advertising companies is that buying a particular product will make the children happy or more popular in their peer group. This message is no doubt appealing to those kids who believe that if only they possessed more expensive clothes, sneakers, or gadgets, they would also have more friends.
To counter materialistic leanings in children, parents should limit the television watching time of their children.
Parents should try to watch TV shows with their children and have healthy discussions with their children and try to critically evaluate the message conveyed by the television commercial.
Parents play a vital role in creating a life that will lead to satisfaction and overall happiness of their children. Children, who have a well balanced life, in which parents spend enough quality time with their kids, will eventually, on the whole, turn out to be satisfied and happy individuals. Parents who are not emotionally supportive of their children are highly likely to have materialistic children. If the parents are supportive, it goes a long way in boosting the child’s self-esteem. Children with a high degree of self-esteem are less likely to look for alternatives to bring them happiness. Such children do not go about looking for materialistic things to bring them a sense of worth. On the contrary, they seek self-worth from their relationships.
Other factors that influence the materialistic leanings of children include the attitude of the parents and friends. Materialistic parents are likely to have materialistic children. Children have impressionable minds and want to have the things that other children or their friends have.
Some tips for parents to counter materialism in their children are listed below:
1. Be a role model for your child
Parents should set an example for their children by showing restraint while buying things. A simple example would be to get a broken study table repaired rather than buying a new one instantly. If children insist on going to their favorite shopping mall, encourage them to do some window shopping rather than purchasing everything.
2. Refrain from fulfilling their demands all the time
You should not form a habit of fulfilling all the demands of your child, at all times. Teach them the importance of prioritizing their requirements. They might throw tantrums in the beginning but will eventually learn to handle their disappointment. They will also realize that everything cannot be bought at once and that they should only insist on purchasing the things that are a must and are actually required. You can always buy the less important things as a reward for celebrating your child’s achievement in any field.
3. Teach your children the value of money
Another valuable tip to counter materialism in children is by teaching them the value of money. You must try to explain to them how difficult it is to earn money and therefore it must be spent wisely.
4. Limit the TV time of your children
Television is one of the biggest culprits responsible for spreading materialism. Children are gullible and advertisers, well-aware of this fact, exploit them. It is therefore, very important to limit the exposure of your children to television. You can either specify a time slot during which your children can watch TV or control the number of cartoons/TV programs that they can watch per day. This will also help in curbing their exposure to commercials.
Following these simple tips would go a long way in making your children happy and satisfied. They would derive confidence from the fact that they are loved by their parents instead of finding solace in the company of material goods.
- “Lower Life Satisfaction Related to Materialism in Children Frequently Exposed to Advertising”, by Suzanna J. Opree, et al. Published in the September 2012 issue of Pediatrics, accessed on September 12, 2012.
- “Materialism in Children and Adolescents: The Role of the Developing Self-Concept”, by Lan Nguyen Chaplin, et al. Published in the 2005 issue of Advances in Consumer Research, accessed on September 12, 2012.
- Photo courtesy of 59937401@N07 on Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/59937401@N07/7214443324
- Photo courtesy of kicks01 on Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/kicks01/4709043339
- pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/130/3/e486.abstract
- www.acrwebsite.org/volumes/v32/acr_vol32_88.pdf