Teenagers today live in a culture of consumption, in one information bubble – hearing that striving for materialistic values is the only way to happiness and success in life – says psychologist prof. Ph.D. Anna Maria Zawadzka from the University of Gdańsk (UG).
Teenagers are 'entangled in consumerism'
The pursuit of materialistic values is associated with a decrease in life satisfaction and positive emotions, and even worse health, increased fear and anxiety, depression, negative emotions and addictions. This decline in well-being is greatest among people under 18 years of age – the expert reminded in an interview with PAP, citing, among others, for research. For example, medical reports show that the number of children and teenagers is increasing (by 120% in the years 2013-2021) undergoing treatment for depressive and anxiety disorders (e.g. published by the National Health Fund in 2023).
The latest WHO report from November 2025 also confirms this bad news – it reports a general mental health crisis among children and adolescents.
As explained by prof. Zawadzka, The time of being a teenager (psychologists call it adolescence) is a period of searching for answers to key questions about one's identity: who I am, who I want to be, and questions about my place in society. It is also a period of transition from childhood to adulthood. – What happens then is often important for a person's functioning in adulthood – emphasizes the psychologist, head of the Department of Economic and Organizational Psychology at the University of Gdańsk, author of the book “Tangled in consumerism. Give a teenager happiness.”
When asked how teenagers are “entangled in consumerism” – prof. Zawadzka notes that during this period, young people often ask themselves fundamental and difficult questions – who they are, who they want to be and what they aspire to. Meanwhile the environment: adults, peers or the media – give the teenager one clear answer: the values that make life worth living are materialistic values.
– The message being promoted is “you are what you have, you are what you experience, be rich, build an image, be famous, and you will be accepted, loved and happy” – notes Prof. Zawadzka.
He emphasizes that teenagers live in the media and also communicate with other teenagers through the media. – The topic of their conversations is what is available on portals and services, e.g. TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, games, series, films, cartoons and other platforms – the psychologist points out. Meanwhile, the content targeted at teenagers is saturated with materialistic messages.
– Ubiquitous marketing promotes the slogan: you can be whoever you want – as long as you are a good consumer; Your value depends on whether you have a lot of money and can buy everything you want, whenever you want, says the author of the book. – A teenager living in a culture of consumption lives in one information bubble about what constitutes happiness and success in life: that it is the pursuit of materialistic values.
What is materialism?
By “materialism” the researcher means “living in the belief that the paramount value in life is wealth and the pursuit of financial success, which makes purchasing possible – without any restrictions – material goods and experiences, and that this is the only indicator of social status and the only key to happiness in life.
– Modern materialism is primarily a dominant focus on a set of values and goals that give priority to external motivation over autonomous motivation – says the psychologist. – External motivation is the pursuit of culturally accepted goals: financial success, fame and image, and high social status, which is determined by wealth and consumption. For a materialist, autonomous motivation, which concerns taking actions out of passion, for the satisfaction of the action itself, is moved to the end of the queue of life goals – he adds.
Sources of materialism
The main source of materialism – explains the psychologist – is lack or difficulty in meeting basic needs, such as the need for security, autonomy, a sense of competence, a sense of acceptance and deep relationships with others.
The development of a materialistic orientation in teenagers is facilitated by the immediate environment, which prevents – often unconsciously – the satisfaction of basic psychological needs – he notes.
Overprotective, authoritarian, controlling or liberal parents, lack of rules at home, quarrels, anxiety and stress – are not conducive to meeting the above-mentioned needs. The following factors also prevent the satisfaction of basic mental needs: parental divorce, lack of financial resources at home, lack of support from parents and peers, exclusion from the peer group and low self-esteem of the teenager – says the expert.
The second main source of materialism is – as he says – “a more or less unconscious adoption of materialistic values and goals that dominate in the immediate environment and in the ubiquitous culture of consumption promoted by the media and opinion leaders.”
– Therefore, the more our environment in which we grew up or in which we live makes it difficult to meet basic needs, and the more this environment values and lives materialistic values, the more we are oriented towards materialism in life – sums up the psychologist.
Professor Zawadzka emphasizes that adolescence is a period in which teenagers experience a hormonal storm, accompanied by fluctuations in mood and self-esteem. – This condition is associated with a reduced sense of security, which promotes greater susceptibility to materialism, which is a commonly promoted way to increase self-esteem and happiness – she said.
Teenager learns to cope with insecurity, mood swings, and loneliness by buying goods and experiences, because the culture of consumption constantly suggests such solutions. Meanwhile, shopping gives only temporary satisfaction. – So, in order to be happy and have self-esteem, he must constantly buy. And it will remain so in adulthood, adds the psychologist.
What can help?
In her opinion, the antidote to materialism in teenagers is working with goals and values, for example, by asking: “why something is important”; “how what we do reflects what is important to us.” It may be helpful to promote non-materialistic values - kindness and universalism, and to focus on non-materialistic goals, such as self-acceptance, a sense of belonging and relationships with others, a sense of community, spiritual development, strengthening autonomous motivation based on identifying and developing interests, passions and skills.
For the development of non-materialistic values - notes prof. Zawadzka – it is also important to learn social skills: cooperation, cooperation, mutual support with peers in the school class, interest groups, sports, hobby, religious or other groups, as well as systematic religious practices and pro-social activities, volunteering. It is important to support the development of good and authentic self-esteem in teenagers, teaching and developing the ability to be grateful.
– Teenagers' happiness is related to whether they live in an environment that allows them to meet their basic needs: autonomy, competence and relationships with others, in an environment that is benevolent – which means that everyone has the will to support another person, and in an environment that allows them to choose values other than materialistic ones – noted the psychologist. As she emphasized, “the media, parents, schools, educational institutions, and social programs should cooperate in creating an environment so that teenagers are happy.”
Professor Zawadzka also emphasized that “Consumer culture sexualizes and objectifies teenagers – it teaches them to see themselves and others as body parts, not persons. It also teaches that you need to have everything immediately, here and now, to be happy, distracting you from learning perseverance and coping with challenges.” According to the psychologist, “the culture of consumption is associated with reluctance to learn or reinforces learning for show and competition.”
– The culture of consumption strengthens self-focus, demandingness, and teaches compensation for what is important for health – deep relationships and friendship – with shopping and fulfilling shopping whims – emphasizes the expert.
He adds that the culture of consumption strengthens teenagers' desire to engage in risky behaviors, e.g. drinking alcohol, smoking, using drugs, engaging in sexual behavior, and “directs teenagers to look for meaning in life by being good consumers, which ends with a sense of lack of meaning.”
The expert points out that consumerism is common in countries known by the acronym WIERD, i.e. Western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic societies. – Poland is one of such countries. Therefore, just like in other developed and educated countries, we are susceptible to consumerism – concluded the professor.
Anna Mikołajczyk-Kłębek
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