The more unhappy you are in childhood, the more materialistic you become. At least that is what emerges from a Dutch investigation by the University of Amsterdam carried out with half a thousand children between 8 and 10 years of age. Specifically, the results suggest that " children less satisfied with their lives become more materialistic as they grow older , although only if they see excessive amounts of advertisements in childhood," according to Suzanna Opree, co-author of the study that publishes the Pediatrics journal. For the authors, materialism is described as a "preoccupation with possessions accompanied by the belief that objects bring happiness and success."
Scientists say that unhappy children are more susceptible to the messages in television commercials, which generally encourage associating consumerism with happiness. On average, it is estimated that a British child is exposed to 10,000 commercials per year, while an American child views around 40,000 television spots annually.
Previous studies in adults reveal that people who are dissatisfied with their lives tend to adopt materialistic thinking, but also that more materialistic people feel less and less satisfied. "It is a whiting that bites its tail," the scientists clarify. Tackling it from childhood, Opree and her colleagues argue, would be the best remedy.
