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Too Materialistic to Get Married and Have Children?

Author

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  • Norman P Li
  • Amy J Y Lim
  • Ming-Hong Tsai
  • Jiaqing O

Abstract

We developed new materials to induce a luxury mindset and activate materialistic values, and examined materialism’s relationship to attitudes toward marriage and having children in Singapore. Path analyses indicated that materialistic values led to more negative attitudes toward marriage, which led to more negative attitudes toward children, which in turn led to a decreased number of children desired. Results across two studies highlight, at the individual level, the tradeoff between materialistic values and attitudes toward marriage and procreation and suggest that a consideration of psychological variables such as materialistic values may allow for a better understanding of larger-scale socioeconomic issues including low fertility rates among developed countries. We discuss implications and describe how psychological factors relating to low fertility fit within evolutionary mismatch and life history theory frameworks.

Suggested Citation

  • Norman P Li & Amy J Y Lim & Ming-Hong Tsai & Jiaqing O, 2015. "Too Materialistic to Get Married and Have Children?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(5), pages 1-12, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0126543
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126543
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Norman Li & Lily Patel & Daniel Balliet & William Tov & Christie Scollon, 2011. "The Incompatibility of Materialism and the Desire for Children: Psychological Insights into the Fertility Discrepancy Among Modern Countries," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 101(3), pages 391-404, May.
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    8. Katia Begall & Melinda Mills, 2011. "The Impact of Subjective Work Control, Job Strain and Work–Family Conflict on Fertility Intentions: a European Comparison [L’impact sur les intentions de fécondité de la perception subjective de co," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 27(4), pages 433-456, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Amy Isham & Birgitta Gatersleben & Tim Jackson, 2021. "Materialism and the Experience of Flow," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1745-1768, April.
    2. Roy, Camille & Morizot, Julien & Lamothe, Josianne & Geoffrion, Steve, 2020. "The influence of residential workers social climate on the use of restraint and seclusion: A longitudinal study in a residential treatment center for youth," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    3. Alonso-Almeida, María del Mar & Perramon, Jordi & Bagur-Femenías, Llorenç, 2020. "Shedding light on sharing ECONOMY and new materialist consumption: An empirical approach," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    4. Ashley B. LeBaron & Heather H. Kelley & Jason S. Carroll, 2018. "Money Over Marriage: Marriage Importance as a Mediator Between Materialism and Marital Satisfaction," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 39(2), pages 337-347, June.
    5. Chelom E. Leavitt & Jeffrey P. Dew & David B. Allsop & Samuel D. Runyan & E. Jeffrey Hill, 2019. "Relational and Sexual Costs of Materialism in Couple Relationships: An Actor–Partner Longitudinal Study," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 40(3), pages 438-454, September.

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