The link between low self-esteem and materialism.

A recent study in the Journal of Consumer Research finds a direct relationship between self-esteem and materialism in children and adolescents. From a recent Science Daily article:

Lan Nguyen Chaplin (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) and Deborah Roedder John (University of Minnesota) show that the relationship appears to more than just a correlation, but a causal relationship -- low self esteem causes increased materialism and raising self esteem decreases materialism.

They found that even a simple gesture to raise self esteem dramatically decreased materialism, which provides a way to cope with insecurity: "By the time children reach early adolescence, and experience a decline in self-esteem, the stage is set for the use of material possessions as a coping strategy for feelings of low self-worth," they write.

Read more HERE.

Thanks Stephanie!