Materialistic consumption amongst young Indians: An ethnographic approach

Abstract

Materialism is perceived as a socially undesirable construct, especially in collectivistic societies like India. This exploratory study attempts to comprehend the manifestation of materialism amongst young-coming-of-age-Indian consumers. The authors have made use of a non-intrusive narrative ethnographic interview that helps establish a framework for understanding materialism as a consumer value. The ethnographic interviews were conducted amongst 49 urban Indian adults ranging in age from 15-24 years. The study also deployed the use of third-person projective technique by making use of photographs. The rich and insightful data validated and supported the use of ethnographic method of enquiry for exploring sensitive and adverse issues like materialism. The paper also revealed interesting possibility by bringing to light possible cyclic, self-propelling bidirectional relationship between a negative value (materialism) and a positive emotive state (happiness) which is further linked to compulsive consumption. There were also implications for moderation of the cycle by demographic, psychographic and social factors.