Media Use and Materialism: A Comparative Study of Impact of Television Exposure and Internet Indulgence on Young Adults

Abstract

Media exposure is often witnessed to promote materialism in youth. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to investigate and compare the level of materialism in young media users due to television exposure and Internet indulgence. A sample of 714 young media users (15–24 years) has been taken from schools and colleges of Punjab (India) and data have been analysed through hierarchical regression analysis and independent sample t-test through SPSS 19.0. Using a three-factor structure to measure materialism—material success, material happiness and material centrality—the findings reveal that media (TV and Internet) strongly inculcates materialism in young media users, when effects of child and family variables are controlled. But, magnitude of the effect of media (TV and Internet) is more prominently visible on material centrality construct than other two constructs of materialism. Also, groups of child and family variables showed significant differences across materialism constructs. Internet indulgence coupled with socio-oriented family communication significantly contributes to materialism. Because of the highest influence of media on material centrality, the leaders in the media industry should be more involved in scrutinizing the content and encourage their clients to develop more socially responsible depictions in media.

How does internet usage affect the credit consumption among Chinese college students? A mediation model of social comparison and materialism

“…Gatersleben, 2018; Kamal et al , 2013; Thoumrungroje, 2018) or general use (e.g. Behal and Soni, 2018; Rai et al , 2020), and they have not examined the effects of different types of Internet usage simultaneously. The finding that informational use was not a significant predictor of materialistic tendencies might be explained through information-seeking behaviors.…”

“…According to the Cultivation Theory, intensive media users tend to hold distorted perceptions of social realities given that descriptions of social issues are biased to some degree in the media (Gerbner et al , 2002). In traditional media, many empirical studies have found that peoples' materialism values are greatly affected by materialistic messages displayed on TV (Behal and Soni, 2018; Yang and Oliver, 2010). This finding also applies to modern internet-based media (Morgan and Shanahan, 2010; Morgan et al , 2014).…”

“…Theoretically, the effect of Internet usage on materialism can be explained by the Cultivation Theory (Morgan and Shanahan, 2010; Morgan et al , 2014). According to this theory, mass media promotes a consumerism culture based on fame and wealth, and the showcasing of mansions, fancy apparel and luxuries purchased by the affluent (Behal and Soni, 2018; Shrum, 2017); this in turn can intensify the bias of media users towards social realities and the importance of material possessions (Yang and Oliver, 2010). Such misconceptions may cause consumers to become dissatisfied with their own possessions and stimulate a desire to increase the number of material goods owned and enhance materialistic values.…”

Assessing Indonesian Youth Acceptance of Corruption: Applying the Stimulus-Organism-Response Framework

“…Media exposure is one way of promoting materialism to young people (Behal & Soni, 2018). Exposure to well-known products and various brands means that these products and brands are used by many people then give influence on young people to prioritize themselves to own these well-known products and brands (e.g., Neve & Trivedi, 2020;Pinto et al, 2017;Masood et al, 2016).…”

Impact of Family Functioning on Adolescent Materialism and Egocentrism in Mainland China: Positive Youth Development Attributes as a Mediator

“…Based on Blázquez and Bonás’s [ 28 ] conceptual framework and Richins’s [ 29 ] developmental model of materialism, family environment and parenting styles are important family processes shaping adolescent materialism. Previous research has revealed the impact of the family on adolescent materialism such as the adverse effects of family conflict [ 13 ], materialism role models from parents and peers [ 14 ], in addition to high internet usage and family socio-oriented communication pattern [ 30 ] on the development of materialistic values in adolescents.…”