Possessions and happiness: economic materialism and bad psychology

Michael Baldwin

doi:10.26182/r4nz-7363

Possessions and happiness: economic materialism and bad psychology

Michael Baldwin

School of Humanities

Research output: Thesis › Doctoral Thesis

122 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Subjective well-being (SWB), a prominent psychological theory of happiness, claims happiness involves our positive first-person affective and cognitive psychological experiences. SWB also claims the Economic Materialist (EM), who prioritises material acquisition, is less happy than those who are not EM's. I reject this because possessions have a salience that distorts the EM's SWB self-reports downwards; and also because it ignores a pluralistic view of happiness. Other types of happiness rehabilitate the role of possessions in augmenting our happiness. This is important to know as we all must negotiate the role and place of possessions in life.

Original language	English
Qualification	Doctorate
Awarding Institution	The University of Western Australia
Supervisors/Advisors	Levine, Michael, Supervisor Rubin, Michael, Supervisor
Award date	19 Jul 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.26182/r4nz-7363
Publication status	Unpublished - 2021

Access to Document

10.26182/r4nz-7363

THESIS - DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY - BALDWIN, Michael Leonard - 2021
This work is protected by Copyright. You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own non-commercial research or study. Any other use requires permission from the copyright owner. The Copyright Act requires you to attribute any copyright works you quote or paraphrase.

Cite this

@phdthesis{037f5e8abe48470eac26afddf4eddc89,

title = "Possessions and happiness: economic materialism and bad psychology",

abstract = "Subjective well-being (SWB), a prominent psychological theory of happiness, claims happiness involves our positive first-person affective and cognitive psychological experiences. SWB also claims the Economic Materialist (EM), who prioritises material acquisition, is less happy than those who are not EM's. I reject this because possessions have a salience that distorts the EM's SWB self-reports downwards; and also because it ignores a pluralistic view of happiness. Other types of happiness rehabilitate the role of possessions in augmenting our happiness. This is important to know as we all must negotiate the role and place of possessions in life. ",

keywords = "Subjective well-being, economic materialism, Happiness, Well-being",

author = "Michael Baldwin",

year = "2021",

doi = "10.26182/r4nz-7363",

language = "English",

school = "The University of Western Australia",

}

TY - BOOK

T1 - Possessions and happiness: economic materialism and bad psychology

AU - Baldwin, Michael

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Subjective well-being (SWB), a prominent psychological theory of happiness, claims happiness involves our positive first-person affective and cognitive psychological experiences. SWB also claims the Economic Materialist (EM), who prioritises material acquisition, is less happy than those who are not EM's. I reject this because possessions have a salience that distorts the EM's SWB self-reports downwards; and also because it ignores a pluralistic view of happiness. Other types of happiness rehabilitate the role of possessions in augmenting our happiness. This is important to know as we all must negotiate the role and place of possessions in life.

AB - Subjective well-being (SWB), a prominent psychological theory of happiness, claims happiness involves our positive first-person affective and cognitive psychological experiences. SWB also claims the Economic Materialist (EM), who prioritises material acquisition, is less happy than those who are not EM's. I reject this because possessions have a salience that distorts the EM's SWB self-reports downwards; and also because it ignores a pluralistic view of happiness. Other types of happiness rehabilitate the role of possessions in augmenting our happiness. This is important to know as we all must negotiate the role and place of possessions in life.

KW - Subjective well-being

KW - economic materialism

KW - Happiness

KW - Well-being

U2 - 10.26182/r4nz-7363

DO - 10.26182/r4nz-7363

M3 - Doctoral Thesis

ER -

Possessions and happiness: economic materialism and bad psychology

Abstract

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this