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Do People Become More or Less Materialistic during Disasters? The Mediating Roles of Mortality Salience and Gratitude

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  • Da Jiang

    (Department of Special Education and Counselling, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
    Integrated Centre for Wellbeing, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
    Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
    The first two authors share first authorship with equal contributions to this article.)

  • Shuang Liu

    (Department of Special Education and Counselling, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
    The first two authors share first authorship with equal contributions to this article.)

  • John Chi-Kin Lee

    (Department of Curriculum and Instruction, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
    Centre for Religious and Spirituality Education, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong, China)

  • Liman Man Wai Li

    (Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
    Department of Psychology, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong, China)

Abstract

Studies have yielded inconclusive findings regarding the relationship between disaster experience and materialism. Whereas some have found a positive relationship, others have reported a negative relationship. To clarify the mechanisms underlying these mixed findings, we proposed and examined two mechanisms, namely mortality salience and gratitude. A total of 214 participants ( M age = 42.05 years, SD = 16.49 years) were randomly assigned into either an experimental condition to experience a disaster or a control condition. Participants in the experimental condition reported a lower level of materialism than the scores of their counterparts in the control condition. Such effects were mediated by both mortality salience and gratitude. Participants in the experimental condition reported higher levels of both mortality salience and gratitude simultaneously. Mortality salience strengthened materialism, but gratitude weakened materialism. These findings highlighted the duel-existing mechanisms underlying the relationship between disaster experience and materialism.

Suggested Citation

  • Da Jiang & Shuang Liu & John Chi-Kin Lee & Liman Man Wai Li, 2021. "Do People Become More or Less Materialistic during Disasters? The Mediating Roles of Mortality Salience and Gratitude," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-15, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:16:p:8566-:d:613941
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    References listed on IDEAS

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