Study finds boosting kids’ confidence deflates materialism on the cusp of adolescence

When ‘tweens beg for a pair of Hollister jeans or “Guitar Hero” for the holidays, they’re asking for more than an item of clothing or electronics. They’re trying to shore up their self-esteem.

Much has been written about how kids on the cusp of adolescence lose the confidence of childhood and enter a phase of insecurity and selfconsciousness. A new study from the University of Minnesota links those feelings to a spike in materialism at the same age. The good news for parents is that materialism seems to decline in later adolescence. The study also found that a simple boost to self-esteem can dramatically decrease materialism in kids of all ages.

Researchers have probed the link between self-esteem and adult consumer behavior, but an article published today in the Journal of Consumer Research is one of the first to look at how materialism changes over time in kids. [continue reading…]