Trading ethics for posessions

Abstract

Is there a correlation between consumers’ levels of materialism and their ethical values and ultimately their behavior? Little research has been performed surrounding consumers’ ethics and the correlation of consumer materialism levels. The purpose of this study is to analyze whether there exists a correlation between ethics and the level of materialism in Generation X, utilizing Muncy and Vitell’s consumer ethics and Richins and Dawson’s materialism scales of measurement. The results coincide with the original study of Muncy and Eastman’s convenience sample in that Generation X rendered a negative correlation between materialism and consumer ethics.