MATERIAL SELF - Power Point PDF

OBJECTIVES:
• Develop understanding about material self.

• Describe the basic components of material self.
• Develop qualities of wise buyer.
HOW DOES THESE MATERIAL THINGS
HELP IN BUILDING A PERSON?
Material Self
• The material self, according to William
James, it pertains to the objects, places, or
even people which have the label “mine”.
• “the sum total of all that he can call his,

not only his body and his psychic
powers, bit his clothes and his house, his
wife and children, his ancestors and
friends, his reputation and works, his
lands, and bank account.
• Such possessions are viewed as

extensions of individuals' identities.
Components of Material Self
1. BODY - The basic component of the
Material Self includes the body.
o Perceptions about what makes a body

beautiful are usually influenced by
media as shown in television and
internet.
o One of the tasks of adolescents is that
of accepting and appreciating the
physical characteristics of their body.
2. CLOTHING is the essential
part of our material self
Clothes represent the self.
o The clothes that

adolescents tend to wear
are greatly influenced by
their peer groups.
3. FAMILY
- 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.
4. PLACES
- The material component of the
self also includes the places
such as your HOME or
workplace.
- it is where many aspects of
your life have been developed,
it is where you feel most
comfortable, and it is greatly
linked to your identity.
5. Some cases of extended Self
A person’s pet could also symbolically defines a person’s
identity.
Material Possession
✓ Possessions can be
used as status symbol.
Valuable possessions are
those that are visible to the
eyes.
The more expensive, the
more other people are
impressed.
Material Possession
• The objects or material things
help make/build a person and
also shows what kind of person
he/she is.
Material Possession
➢ 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.
Material Possession
➢ Defining the self by

material possession can
also contribute to feelings
of well-beings, including a
sense of personal growth
and purpose or meaning in
life.
Material Possession
➢ People tend to appraise other people through their
material possession. Thus, the greater the material
possessions, the more one is likely to attain acceptance,
approval, and esteem from other people.
Material Possession
➢ Materialism is the importance
people give on material
possession. Someone with a
high level of materialism is
called materialistic.
Influence of MEDIA in
Material Possessions
Exposure to Mass Media
greatly influenced what we
want.
Influence of MEDIA in Material Possessions
Influence of MEDIA in Material Possessions
Comparing ourselves with

others (wanting to be like
them or be in their position)
will lead us to constantly
feeling dissatisfied and never
happy with what we have.
Material Possession
✓Lack or loss of material possession can be
disruptive to mental health.
✓ Lack or loss of material possessions could lead
to anxiety, insecurity, and depression.
MATERIAL POSSESSIONS
SELF IDENTITY
WANTS OR NEEDS?
• Needs are important for
survival
• Wants are synonymous to
luxuries. People buy them for
reasons that do not warrant
necessity.
THE SELF IN A MATERIAL WORLD
“People are likely to purchase products
that can relate to their personality”
SYMBOLIC MOTIVES
1. Status- the extent to which people
believe they can derive a sense of
recognition or achievement from
owning and using the right kind of
product. Status ,may increase
consumption and can motivate
behavior (e.g. one will buy a flat
screen TV of a known brand, with
latest features because its more
expensive than other brands)
SYMBOLIC MOTIVES
2. Affective Motives – Affect
(emotions) serves as a motivator
of pro-environmental behavior. In
relation to the economic self,
affective motive, can be a basis of
the buying behavior. Thus using
affective motive: people buy the
goods not only because they think
they need it but more so because
of the joy/happiness (affect)
buying the goods provide through
the mere acquisition of it.
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, e.g. debts.
TWO THINGS TO BE CONSIDERED IN
ACQUIRING MATERIAL GOODS:
1. Utility – is concerned with how
things serve a practical purpose.
2. Significance – is concerned
with the meaning assigned to the
object and with how the objects
become powerful symbol or icons
of habit ritual.
CONSUMERISM AS A LIFESTYLE
• Consumers are often viewed as victims of greedy
companies. But, take note that everyone has free will
AVOID THE TRAP!
1. Exercise intellectual independence. BE
aware of how consumerism controls your life.
Try to defend yourself from unwanted external
pressures. Ignore advertising . Think for
yourself. Question all information given to you,
and start looking for information yourself.
2. Consume less, live more. Stop and think
about the influences of consumerism in your
life. Then, think about what really matters to
you and how you want to live it. Strive to live
the life you want, not how others think you
ought to live.
THANK YOU!

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OBJECTIVES:

• Develop understanding about material self.

• “the sum total of all that he can call his,

• Such possessions are viewed as

o Perceptions about what makes a body

o The clothes that

➢ Defining the self by

Comparing ourselves with

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