Examination of Young Adults’ Materialism in France and South Africa Using Two Life-Course Theoretical Perspectives

Abstract

© 2014, Springer Science+Business Media New York. This study employed the human capital (in terms of family resources) and socialization (in terms of peer communication) life-course theoretical perspectives to examine the effects of disruptive family events experienced during adolescence on young adults’ materialism in France and South Africa. The study found that South African young adults were more materialistic than their French counterparts. While family resources received during adolescence did not have a significant impact on South African young adults’ materialism, these resources did significantly and positively affect French young adults’ materialism. The impact of peer communication about consumption during adolescence on materialism at young adulthood was positive and significant in both samples. Implications of the study’s findings and directions for further research are provided.