Limited time perspective decreases terminal materialism

Abstract

Terminal materialism is considered a bad form of materialism and harmful to individuals' well-being. However, few studies focus on how to reduce this value. The current research examined a way to decrease terminal materialism through a future time perspective. Study 1, through a survey of adults with a wide age, showed that limited time perspective was a significant predictor of terminal materialism. That is, the more limited the perception of time, the lower the level of terminal materialism. In Study 2, participants who were experimentally induced to a limited time perspective became less terminal materialistic, further revealed the causal relationship between future time perspective and terminal materialism. In Study 3, we used qualitative retrospective interviews with cancer survivors to explore the dynamic co-variation process of future time perception and terminal materialism. The results showed that, consistent with Studies 1 and 2, participants' terminal materialism decreased after experiencing limited future time perception. Our findings indicate that a limited time perspective may be a way for mitigating terminal materialism.