Materialism Scale

What is materialism, you ask? Think of it as an interest in spending your money to acquire things. Use this tool to help you think about how attached you are to material possessions.

Welcome to the Materialism Scale.

Thank you for taking the survey! For the next 18 questions, tell us how much you agree with each one.

1. 

I admire people who own expensive homes, cars, or clothes.

2. 

Some of the most important achievements in life include acquiring material possessions.

3. 

I don't place much emphasis on the amount of material objects people own as a sign of success.

4. 

The things I own say a lot about how I'm doing in life.

5. 

I like to own things that impress people.

6. 

I don't pay much attention to the material objects other people own.

7. 

I usually buy only the things I need.

8. 

I try to keep my life simple, as far as possessions are concerned.

9. 

The things I won aren't all that important to me.

10. 

I enjoy spending money on things that aren't practical.

11. 

Buying things gives me a lot of pleasure.

12. 

I like a lot of luxury in my life.

13. 

I put less emphasis on material things than most people I know.

14. 

I have all the things I really need to enjoy life.

15. 

My life would be better if I owned certain things I don't have.

16. 

I wouldn't be any happier if I owned nicer things.

17. 

I'd be happier if I could afford to buy more things.

18. 

It sometimes bothers me quite a bit that I can't afford to buy all the things I'd like.


This survey comes from Richins, M. & Dawson, S. (1992). A consumer values orientation for materialism and its measurement: scale development and validation. Journal of Consumer Research, 19, 303-316.

 

Be sure to click Submit Quiz to see your results!