The Price of Materialism: How Your Materialism Affects Others’ Empathy Toward You

Materialism, characterized by an excessive focus on material possessions, harms individuals’ well-being. Beyond personal downsides, this research uncovers a novel interpersonal consequence: people exhibit reduced empathy toward materialistic individuals. In Studies 1a–1c (n = 875), materialistic individuals received less empathy. Study 2 (n = 396) showed that target materialism led to lower expected reciprocity, which was linked to reduced empathy. Study 3 (n = 397) found that reduced empathy lowers willingness to help and interact with materialists. Study 4 (n = 779) revealed a moderating role for observer materialism: low-materialism observers displayed less empathy toward materialists, while high-materialism observers showed slightly more. These findings advance understanding of materialism’s social costs, highlighting its association with diminished empathy and engagement.