Module 7

The Material/Economic Self

Introduction

This chapter deals with the description of the material self. It includes the basic
components and the subclasses of the material self. It also covers the role of material
possessions on the sense of self and identity.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this chapter, the student is expected to:

1. develop understanding about the material self;
2. describe the basic components of the material self;
3. appraise one’s self in terms of motives in acquiring material possessions;
4. develop qualities of a wise buyer; and
5. apply critical and reflective thought in integrating the aspects of the
material self.

Learning Content

The Material Self

The American philosopher and psychologist, William James (1979), considered

the self as anything that an individual considers to be his or hers, not only his or her body
and material possessions but also his or her reputation and beliefs. The self constitutes
the material self and the manifestation of one’s identity through his material possessions.

The material self entails two subclasses such as the bodily self and the
extracorporeal self or beyond the body self. The bodily component as the term
suggests refers to the entities comprising our bodies. For instance, someone may speak of
his/her head, eyes, and hands which form part of his/her physical body. Rosenberg (1979)
regarded the extracorporeal self as the extended self. The extended self includes other
people (e.g. my parents), pets (my puppy), possessions (my phone), places (my
hometown), and the products of our labor (my recipe). Thus, it is not merely the physical
entities which encompass the material self but the tangible objects, people or places
carrying the designation my or mine.

James (1979) added that an entity can be identified as part of the self through our
emotion and/or action towards it. If we pay much attention or work hard towards that
entity, we can conclude that the entity is part of the self. As James wrote:

“A man’s self is the sum total of all that he can call his, not only his
body and his psychic powers, but his clothes and his house, his wife and
children, his ancestors and friends, his reputation and works, his lands and
horses, and yacht and bank account. All these things give him the same
emotions. If they wax and prosper, he feels triumphant; if they dwindle and
 die away, he feels cast down, --not necessarily in the same degree for each
thing, but in much the same way for all.” An equally instinctive impulse
drives us to collect property; and the collections thus become, with different
degrees of intimacy, parts of our empirical selves. The parts of our wealth
most intimately ours are those which are saturated with our labor. ... and
although it is true that a part of our depression at the loss of possessions is
due to our feeling that we must now go without certain goods that we
expected the possessions to bring in their train, yet in every case there
remains, over and above this, a sense of the shrinkage of our personality, a
partial conversion of ourselves to nothingness, which is a psychological
phenomenon by itself. (p. 293)

The Role of Material Possessions on the Sense of Self and Identity

Possessions are considered as the extended versions of oneself; whereas, material

possessions tell something of the personality and social values of those who own them.

Ø Regardless of how much or how little material possessions people have, they
remain valuable because these possessions are symbolic of one’s social status.
The more expensive they are; the more other people are impressed.

Ø Russel Belk (1988) in his work “Are We What We Own?”, suggests that
material possessions act as an objective manifestation of the self. Material
possessions can be a reflection of hard work and success.

Ø Normally, people tend to measure success through the amount of their material
possessions. Owning material possessions becomes a driving force in urging an
individual to seek a high level of achievement in order to be able to acquire more
possessions.

Ø However, the lack or loss of material possessions can be disruptive to one’s

mental health.

Ø People tend to judge others through their material possessions.

Ø Materialism – refers to giving more importance to material possessions than

intangible values.

Ø Materialistic person – one who is excessively concerned with the acquisition

of material possessions.

Ø 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 can cause adverse consequences.
 Ø Lack or loss of these material possessions could lead to anxiety, insecurity, and
depression in people who are overly materialistic.

In relation to the Theory of Meaning of Material Possessions, Dittmar (1992,

2004) suggested that material goods can fulfill a range of instrumental, social, symbolic
and affective functions. Individuals buy and use material goods depending on their
specific functions.

1. Instrumental functions relate to the functional properties of a product.

e.g. Jake bought a four-wheeler closed van for the delivery of their merchandise

2. Social symbolic functions signify personal qualities, social standing, group

affiliation and gender roles.

e.g. Using branded bags and shoes

3. Categorical functions refer to the extent to which material possessions may be

used to communicate group membership and status.

e.g. Wearing organizational shirt

4. Self-expressive functions reflect a person’s unique qualities, values or attitudes.

e.g. Collecting items with Panda designs

In terms of the economic self, people buy goods not only because they need them
but also because of the joy and happiness the goods give by merely having of acquiring
them. The emotion that an individual expects to feel when doing or buying something is
called the anticipated affect. The anticipated positive effect like excitement, pride, and
happiness as well as the negative affect such as anger, sadness, and frustration are
important predicates of whether to buy or not to buy the product. In other words, these
emotions can be a strong motivator or barrier for the buying behavior of people.

The Role of Consumer Culture on our Sense of Self and Identity

❏ It is a social system in which consumption is dominated by the consumption of

commercial products.

❏ Consumer culture denotes a social arrangement in which the relations between

lived culture and social resources, and between meaningful ways of life and the
symbolic and material resources on which they depend on, are mediated through
markets.

❏ The consumption of market-made commodities and desire-inducing marketing

symbols is central to consumer culture.
 ❏ A consumerist society is one in which people spend a great deal of time, money,
and energy to “consume” commercial products, goods, and services.

❏ Consumerism is the consumption of material goods and services in excess of one’s

basic needs. It is closely tied to materialism. Both heavily influence the way
individuals view the self.

❏ The state of needs and wants tends to be endless, and thus could cause negative
effects such as dissatisfaction, unhappiness, and depression.

❏ Karl Marx’s theory of the alienation of workers within a capitalist system stresses
that consumerist urges become a social force separate from the individual and
operating independently.

❏ Products and brands become the force that propels and reproduces norms, social
relations, and the general structure of society.

❏ The dominant worldview, values, and culture are inspired by disposable and empty
consumption.

Regardless of your intention in purchasing, keep these two things in mind when
acquiring goods. Consider its utility to ensure that the product serves a practical purpose;
and, remember its significance and be aware of how the objects become powerful symbols
or icons of habit ritual.

Recommended learning materials and resources for supplementary reading

https://prezi.com/p/rtcf6o40smhy/the-materialeconomic-self/
https://faculty.washington.edu/jdb/452/452_chapter_02.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF3_dFo_yp8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54SF9o27-Xw

References

Antonova, N. (2014). Economic Identity and Professional Self-Determination.

Retrieved from https://www.atiner.gr/journals/social/2014-1-1-6-Antonova.pdf

Alata, E., Caslib, B., Serafica, J. & Pawilen, R. (2018). Understanding the self.
Manila: Rex Book Store.

Cole, N. (2019). What does consumerism mean. Retrieved from

https://www.thoughtco.com/consumerism-definition-3026119

Go-Monilla, M. and Ramirez, N. (2018). Understanding the self. Quezon City: C & E
Publishing

Maderazo, S. (2017, September 28). Material self and economic self. Retrieved
from:https://www.scribd.com/presentation/360154947/MATERIAL-SELF-
ECONOMIC-SELF-pptx