Podium Presentation 6th World Congress on Positive Psychology 2019

Beauty and the Beast: How Interest in Beauty Undermines Subjective Well-Being (#152)

Daniel L Benkendorf 1
  1. Fashion Institute of Technology, FIT/SUNY, New York, United States

Many studies have shown an inverse relationship between materialistic values and subjective well-being (e.g., Kasser & Ryan, 1996; Kasser & Ryan, 2001; Williams, Cox, Hedberg, & Deci, 2000). Yet comparatively less is known about which specific behaviors might mediate this relationship. The present study explores several potential behavioral mediators. Eighty-nine participants completed Kasser & Ryan’s (1996) Aspiration Index, two measures of subjective well-being (Lyubomirsky & Lepper, 1999; Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985), a questionnaire assessing interest in beauty products, and several items assessing cosmetic and beauty product purchases. Consistent with earlier published work, the results revealed an inverse relationship between materialistic values and SWB. Results indicated both a positive correlation between materialistic values and interest in beauty products and a positive correlation between materialistic values and beauty product purchases. Subsequent analyses revealed that consumption appears to mediate the relationship between materialism and SWB. Consistent with the existing literature, my results reveal a negative relationship between materialistic values and SWB. Moreover, these results suggest that both interest in beauty products and purchases of beauty items are associated with lower SWB. Future directions for research as well as the theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.