Antecedents of young adults' materialistic values

Given the adverse effects of materialism on consumer well-being, the present study integrates various theoretical frameworks within the life course paradigm to assess the effects of earlier-in-life experiences on young Greek adults' materialistic values. Findings from a sample of 285 young adults suggest that disruptive family incidents in early life affect the development of materialistic values, while peers have no discernible influence. Disruptive family settings appear to impair socio-economic status and self-esteem, but young Greek adults with impaired self-esteem are not more materialistic. A family communication environment that places emphasis on autonomy and individual achievement appears to promote the importance of materialism, while a family communication setting that encourages compliance instead of self-direction appears to deter the development of such orientations. Copyright (c) 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.