MATERIAL SELF

• The material self, according to William James, pertains to the objects, places, or even people which have the label “mine”.
• Possessions are state of having, owning, or controlling something and it is

  also viewed as the extensions of individuals identities
• Is a psychological term that refers to the part of an individual’s self-concept related to the physical world
• This idea was first introduced by the American psychologist William James and it is an essential part of an individual’s overall self-identity.
• Jean Paul Sartre and Russel Belk- researched on material self and theorized that objects become extensions of ourselves or our identities.
• COMPONENTS OF THE MATERIAL SELF (1) BODY (2) CLOTHING (3) FAMILY (4) PLACES
• William James identified the body as the innermost aspect of the

  material self. Also, you perceive certain body parts as more private or

  intimately yours as compared to the others
• CLOTHING- Clothes represent the self.
• The material component of the self also includes people such as immediate and

  extended family members (my family) as well as close friends (my friends) that the

  person feels psychologically connected. These people are likely to shape and

  influence the development of self and identity.
• FAMILY - REPLICA of our self.
• PLACES - The material component of the self also includes the places such as your HOME or workplace.
• Home is the earliest nest of our Selfhood.
• Belk (1988), four stages of possession in human development:

  (1) the infant distinguishes self from environment,

  (2) the infant distinguishes self from others,

  (3) possessions help adolescents and adults manage their identities, and

  (4) possessions help the old achieve a sense of continuity and preparation for death.
• Belk in his work on Are We What We Own?, suggests that

  material possession act as an objective manifestation of the

  self.
• Material Possessions can be a reflection of hard work and success.
• Materialism a belief of a person on the importance of the material objects to the achievements or happiness or success
• -Highly materialistic people put value on their belongings for their use,

  especially as a boost for social status
• less materialistic people

  value their possession for the joy and comfort that they get from

  these things.
• Materialism is the importance people give on material possession.
• Someone with a high level of materialism is called materialistic.
• Needs are important for survival
• Wants are synonymous to luxuries.
• 2 TYPES OF SYMBOLIC MOTIVES (1) Status (2) Affective Motives
• "status" refers to how a person views their standing in society and the use of possessions to display it
• "affective motives" are about the emotional pleasure or happiness derived from purchasing something.
• The strong desire for material possessions could lead to psychological

  dysfunction or impairment in functioning such as compulsive buying disorder (CBD) which is characterized by an obsession with shopping and buying behaviors that causes adverse consequences
• Two Things to be considered in acquiring material goods. (1) Utility (2) Significance
• Utility – is concerned with how things serve a practical purpose.
• Significance – is concerned with the meaning assigned to the object.
• Our relationship with the material world starts with the idea that whoever gets something first is its

  owner.
• Transitional objects- aims to develop the skills of a child toward more independence.