MODULE 3

SECTION 3
THE MATERIAL/ECONOMIC SELF
PRESENTED
BY:GROUP 2
What is the Materialistic/Economic
Self?
 Materialism is a variable relevant to many
aspects of economic psychology.
 A discussion of the potential relationships
between materialism and several economic
variables, including use of money , work
motivation, giving , and materialism.
 The material self is constituted by: our bodies,
clothes, immediate family, and home.
 There are 2 sub-classes of
Material/Economic self
BODY SELF EXTRACORPOREAL SELF
 Which is our body, for  Rosenberg (1979) has
example a person referred to the
speaks or “my arms” extracorporeal self as
or “my legs”. These the extended self. It
entities are clearly an includes all of the
intimate part of who people, places and
we are. things that we regard
as “ours”. It can also
be refer as
possessions.
 FACTORS AFFECTING THE
MATERIAL/ECONOMIC SELF
Financial constraints.
Availability of items and
services.
Influence of family and friends.
“ Wants ” vs “ Needs “ .
MATERIAL POSSESSIONS tell
something of the personality and
social values of those who own
them.
POSSESSIONS are the extended
version of one self.
 THINGS TO BE CONSIDERED IN
ACQUARING MATERIALS GOODS
 UTILITY- is concerned with how things
serve a practical purpose.
 SIGNIFICANCE- is concerned with the
meaning assigned to the object it is
also concerned with how the objects
become powerful symbols or icons of
habit ritual.
According to Barthes, it is through objects
that people assert their identities.

Objects are not just things but are

reflections of the wider lives of
communities and individuals; the
things people possess are also
sync with what is valued by their
community.