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Affluenza: Happiness Lost!
*Dr. Mamta Sharma
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Punjabi University, Patiala.
**Harjyot Khosa
Research Scholar at Punjabi University, Patiala & National Training
Coordinator, HIV/AIDS Alliance
New Delhi
India
Abstract
Affluenza occurs when individuals are in pursuit of money, wealth, and material possession
at the expense of other sources of self-esteem and contentment. It has reached epidemic
proportions and has produced numerous symptoms detrimental to our children‘s social and
emotional development. The present study aimed to study the impact of Affluenza on
Happiness of young students. A sample of 200 male and female students in the age range of
18-24 yrs from different colleges and departments of Punjab University Chandigarh, were
administered Affluenza Scale (Oliver James, 2007) and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire
(Hills and Argyle, 2002). It was hypothesized that i) Affluent youth will score low on
happiness as compared to non-affluent youth, ii) Affluent females will have higher happiness
level as compared to affluent males. Analysis of variance revealed that affluent and non-
affluent differed significantly (F=709.54**) on happiness levels. Results also revealed
significant gender differences (F=19.58**) in happiness levels of affluent participants.
Females scored much higher (M=3.97) on happiness scale in comparison to males (M=3.08).
Key Words: Affluenza, Happiness, Gender, Youth
Stepping into the period of youth means to develop a sense of responsibility and taking one‘s
life seriously. But unfortunately, seven million youngsters have only limited potential for
becoming productive adults (Joy G. Dryfoos, 1990). Youth within the last two decades have
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come to be seen as a source of trouble rather than as a resource for investing. Across the
globe, a generation of youth is rapidly reaching adulthood bearing the tragic consequences of
their nation‘s worst problems (IRIN In-Depth, February 2007). The problem gets even more
aggravated when the parents give privileges without demanding performance. Lost in the
pursuit of earning more and more, money is considered the elucidation for all of our
problems; failing to understand that ‗excess of everything is bad‘. This disposition of placing
a high value on acquiring money and possessions, looking good in the eyes of others and
wanting to be famous is called ―Affluenza‖ (James, 2007).
Affluenza,‖ a term ―coined to describe an epidemic of over-consumption and its often
negative effects on children-alienation, laziness, arrogance and low self-esteem, is not merely
a hypothetical problem, but in fact is an ailment of the wealthy, and a ―disorder‖ among
parents and children across all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Affluenza is
defined as the bloated, sluggish and unfulfilled feeling that result from efforts to keep up with
the Joneses; and an epidemic of stress, overwork, waste and indebtedness caused by dogged
pursuit of the American Dream
Jessie H. O‘Neill (2013) defines affluenza as ‗the collective addictions, character flaws,
psychological wounds, neuroses, and behavioral disorders caused or exacerbated by the
presence of, or desire for wealth…….‘.It is the effect of materialism on the individuals
subconscious, which manifest itself in unbalanced relationships with oneself, others and
money (Lami, R. 2003). Affluenza is the term used to explain the problems that occur ―when
individuals are in pursuit of money, wealth, and material possession at the expense of other
sources of self-esteem and contentment‖ (Koplewicz & Williams, 2006). It is a painful,
contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety and waste resulting from
the dogged pursuit of more (J. de Graaf, D. Wann & T. H. Naylor-2002).
Affluenza has reached epidemic proportions and has produced numerous symptoms
detrimental to our children‘s social and emotional development. Usually, money is co-related
with happiness, but it can be asserted that there is a correlation between the increasing nature
of affluenza and the resulting increase in material inequality: the more unequal a society, the
greater the unhappiness (O. James, 2007).Children who are raised surrounded by wealth and
indulgence are at greater risk for psychosocial and education problems, stress disorders,
abuse, neglect, substance abuse, depression, and underachievement at rates exceeding their
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urban or middle class counterparts (Koplewicz, H. & Williams, K., 2006). The present study
has focused upon affluenza that has led millions to be a victim of unhappiness.
The myth of American dream is that that money can, should and does buy happiness. People
characterized by affluenza have developed the false sense of entitlement as well as an
inability to delay gratification. Far from guaranteeing happiness, wealth or the single-minded
pursuit of affluenza can destroy happiness, or at the least exacerbate existing problems. Once
basic physical needs are taken care of (i.e., a person has enough to eat, adequate shelter and
basic clothing) most ―returns to happiness‖ come from social and psychological sources.
Enjoying rich personal relationships and finding a deeper sense of purpose in one‘s life is
much more likely to cultivate happiness than simply being upwardly mobile (Hunter J.,
2002).
Affluent youth develop an inappropriate sense of entitlement and happiness regarding
material possessions and opportunities, without a corresponding sense that such benefits must
be related to hard work. They deny and ignore the effects of chronic social conditions on the
personal and collective realities. So perhaps it is modern secular society, with its determined
"intolorenza" towards old-fashioned values, leading towards "affluenza" in youth. Research
by American Demographics found that among 18- to 34-year-olds (children of Baby
Boomers and Generation X), 23 percent of men and 26 percent of women confessed to
―always or frequently‖ coveting their neighbors‘ goods. Sixty percent of the same age group
confirmed they were jealous of ―celebrities or public figures,‖ whose lifestyles are
glamorized by television shows. Not surprisingly, money is the item most coveted among this
age group (Pack D., 2012).
Life itself is an infinite source and course of happiness, which in its most sublime form is
referred to as bliss. People who experience an abundance of positive emotions and few
negatives emotions, and who also feel satisfied with their lives are defined as happy, or high
in Subjective well-being (Steve R. Baumgardner & Marie K. Crothers, 2009). It's hard for
affluent youth to value their accomplishments. They suspect their successes are due to wealth
and position. It's hard to be sure they have achieved anything, or are really liked by others, or
they are worth of something (Gerald Le Van, 2008). They are stung by others' resentment of
their good fortune. Unhappiness frequently results when people believe that they are either
not able to successfully do the things they care about or that they are generally unworthy.
Wealth is not always a blessing, this was the thinking envisaged by Dr. Jung as he affirmed
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that wealth could be a curse also and quoted: ―You have acquired a false security. And it is
this false security on which you live that causes your feelings of inferiority. One lives
wrapped in cotton, protected from the cold and heat. It is not good never to be cold or hot.‖
This is very true in context of today‘s world. As today we are programmed, to think that
money is our way to happiness, security, success, and well-being. However, we can see that
having money has its pitfalls also.
Affluenza is an epidemic outbreak caused by people‘s materialistic, greedy need to buy
things, which has resulted to the current struggles that our society is challenged with today
(de Graff, Boe, 1998). Affluenza virus, silently, is gripping our physical as well as mental
health by sticking on young vibrant and intelligent youth and making them a sour point in
society. As a society, we talk endlessly about the effects of raising children in poverty. We
don‘t talk enough about the challenges of raising children in prosperity. Youth in poverty are
widely recognized as being ―at-risk‖, but increasingly, significant problems have been seen at
the other end of the socioeconomic continuum. Children of affluent parents are often
excluded in psychological research as they are considered to be at "low risk"; however,
research is beginning to suggest that this previously under-studied population may be at risk
for developing multiple problem behaviors, including substance use and externalizing
problems (Luthar, S. S., & Barkin, S. H., 2012). Very little research, especially in developing
countries like India, has been done to study the complex and harmful psychological dynamics
of Affluenza. Keeping in mind the long-standing neglect of a group of affluent youngsters
and dearth of research in this area, it can be ascertained there is an imperative need to explore
the impact of Affluenza on Happiness levels of youth.The present research has been
planned to explore the effects of affluenza documented among affluent Indian youth, on
a counterintuitive notion that upper-middle class youth are more likely to be more
troubled than their middle-class counterparts. The study verified the following
hypotheses:
1. Affluent youth will score low on happiness as compared to non-affluent youth.
2. Affluent females will have higher happiness level as compared to affluent males.
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Method
Sample: A total of 200 males and females students between the ages of 18 and 24 years
randomly selected from different colleges and departments of Punjab University, Chandigarh
served as participants in the present study.
Tools Used
Affluenza Scale (Oliver James, 2007): It gauges the Affluenza virus and the distress
generated by it. It has ten items to measure the level of Affluenza distress on a Likert scale
(1=‗‗never‘‘ to 5=‗‗always‘‘). The scores interpret tantalizing clues of such an effect ranging
from not distressed to severely distressed. It elaborates the effect of Affluenza virus increases
ones susceptibility to commonest emotional distresses: depression, anxiety, substance abuse
and personality disorders.
Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (Hills and Argyle, 2002): It is a 29-item questionnaire
(OHQ), with the widely used Likert Scale as a scoring format (1=strongly disagree to
6=strongly agree).The OHQ was derived as an improved version of the Oxford Happiness
Inventory (Argyle, Martin, &Crossland, 1989). Argyle reports acceptable construct validity
for the OHQ by providing data on correlations with other self-report scales of personality
traits, human strengths, and subjective well-being.
Procedure
All the participants were provided with the questionnaires of Affluenza to gauge the
Affluenza virus and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire to assess the happiness level. Both the
questionnaires were administered, scored and interpreted in accordance with the instructions
provided in the respective manuals. After scoring of questionnaires, both males and females
were categorized into two groups, i.e. ‗Affluenza‘ and ‗Non Affluenza‘. Corresponding
scores of these two groups on happiness were compared to see any significant difference
between participants high and low on affluenza. If any participant had difficulty in
understanding any item, care was taken while translating items and ensuring semantic
similarity with original items.
Results and Discussion
Table 1: Comparison of Means, SDs and F-ratios for Happiness scores in relation to Gender
and Affluenza
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VARIABLES LEVELS MEANS SD F-RATIO
GENDER MALES 3.08 0.89
19.58** FEMALES 3.97 0.87
AFFLUENZA AFFLUENT 2.10 0.76
709.54** NON-AFFLUENT 4.46 0.99
**p<.01
Table 2: ANOVA Summary for the effect of Gender and Affluenza on Happiness scores
SOURCE OF VARIANCE SS DF MS F
GENDER (A) 15.41 1.00 15.41 19.58**
AFFLUENZA (B) 558.14 1.00 558.14 709.54**
AB 2.18 1.00 2.18 2.77ns
Error 311.50 396.00 0.79
Ns-Non Significant
**p<.01
It is inferred from table no 1that individuals who were high on affluenza scored significantly
low on happiness levels as compared to those who were low on affluenza. The results
revealed significant differences (F =709.54**) between affluent and non-affluent on
happiness level. Non affluent youth have more happiness level, as compared to affluent youth
which led to the acceptance of our first hypothesis. The second hypothesis, that the happiness
level would be stronger in females, is supported by the results, as significant difference
(F=19.58**) has been found between males and females, as shown in table 1. The interaction
between affluenza and gender came out to be non significant (F=2.77).
Both the hypotheses of the present research have been proved and are supported by Millar
and Thomas (2009), whose research found that ―both high and low materialists associated
experiential purchases with high levels of happiness‖. Materialists, however, were happier
with material purchases than with creative activity. Millar and Thomas suggest that perhaps
materialists collect experiences much like they collect objects. Nonetheless, since experiential
purchases tend to produce greater levels of happiness then it may motivate future behaviour.
If purchasing experiences like vacations or trips to an amusement park are spent with family
and friends, and if those ties are strengthened as a result, then it might lead to changes in
values. Kasser (1993) reminds us that while our behavior is often rooted in our values, ―we
can nonetheless change our behavior before we change our values‖.
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Affluent youth fail to be happy and take their life positively. This tends to increase their
negative thinking and lower the level of self-worth. The idea here is that increased wealth has
diminishing marginal utility, in relation to other goods that have to be foregone in order to
achieve it. Any good, in economic theory, becomes relatively less valuable, relative to other
goods, as it becomes more abundant. An additional unit of wealth in an affluent society will
thus be experienced as of less value than the goods that have to be foregone to obtain it. If
rising incomes are achieved only at the cost of - in Robert Lane‘s terms - less companionship,
or less time spent with our children, partners or friends, or doing the things that we most
enjoy, then it is no surprise if we do not feel happier for being richer, and perhaps less happy.
Social science research has consistently shown that lasting well-being does not come from
material consumption. Once basic physical needs are taken care of (i.e., a person has enough
to eat, adequate shelter and basic clothing) most ―returns to happiness‖ come from social and
psychological sources. Enjoying rich personal relationships and finding a deeper sense of
purpose in one‘s life is much more likely to cultivate happiness than simply being upwardly
mobile. Recent researches have focused on absolute income that was thought to have no
influence on happiness (Easterlin 2003; Easterlin et al. 2011); however, Psychologist Edward
Diener, of the University of Illinois at Urbana, has found that it‘s not the money, but the
striving for it, that is linked to happiness. Recent evidence suggests a positive relationship
might exists till the time it is well managed (Aknin, Norton, and Dunn 2009; Kahneman and
Deaton 2010; Sacks, Stevenson, and Wolfers 2012); and whereas it can also have a negative
impact on their children (Kahneman et al. 2004). There are many happiness triggers in life,
and each person has a different set of triggers that make them feel happy. These may be a
special relationship, creating wealth, work achievement, success, power, popularity, status,
physical beauty, career positions, social status, a neat home environment, possessions and the
like (Gavin H., 2008). According to Jigme Singye Wangchuck (1972) Gross national
happiness (GNH) is an attempt to define quality of life in more holistic and psychological
terms than gross national product. Since 2009, Bhutan has introduced and studied the concept
of Gross National Happiness (GNH) index, based on nine socio-cultural/environmental
domains and a series of 33 indicators mapped over 124 variables; applied to Bhutan
population. The indicators of Gross national happiness reflect that positive experiences tend
to bring greater enduring happiness than positive material purchases (Howell and Hill 2009;
Nicolao, Irwin, and Goodman 2009; Van Boven and Gilovich 2003). Compared to material
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purchases, experiential purchases have been shown to be more self-defining (Carter &
Gilovich 2012), more interpersonally connecting (Chan & Mogilner 2013), harder to compare
against forgone alternatives (Carter & Gilovich 2010), more unique (Rosenzweig & Gilovich
2012), and subject to slower rates of hedonic adaptation (Nicolao, Irwin, & Goodman 2009).
The second hypothesis, that the happiness level would be stronger in females, is supported by
the results, as significant difference has been found between males and females. This
difference suggests that female youth with high happiness level are seeking to minimise their
incongruence through endorsement of affluent values, as they perceive that the acquisition of
products that are congruent with their ideal self will help them reduce the difference between
their actual and ideal self. Female youth with high happiness levels reported less affluenza,
suggesting that they are comfortable with who they are and therefore do not need to
compensate for perceived personal deficiencies. While the present research did not directly
explore buying motivation, this explanation of results is consistent with research conducted
by Dittmar (2005). Implicit in this proposition is the conception that affluenza is identity
seeking, and that high levels of self-discrepancies are associated with insecurity about one‘s
identity. Much research on affluenza (e.g. Dittmar, 2005; Sirgy, 1985) presupposed that
materialism is negative, largely due to its relationship with low levels of well-being (Kasser
& Kanner, 2004).
It can be concluded that Affluenza takes hold of us by finding weak spots in our immune
system. In this case, it‘s a psychological immune system—the system that monitors our
satisfaction with our lives and our selves. The money they are expected to provide may
obscure recognition of their personal abilities, further retarding their psychological growth as
a mature and independent individual, thus, hampering the expected progression of attaining
happiness in life
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