Professional Documents
Culture Documents
• A value Conceptualization of
Materialism (Mpoula, 2017) 109
MODULE 5: THE Pursuit of possessions and
materialism’s role in consumption
MATERIAL AND choices eflects materialism as a
value . The importance of acquisition
ECONOMICAL SELF, to reach satisfaction Impossible to
SPIRITUAL SELF, THE achieve happiness (Fournier and
Richins, 1991 p. 411)
POLITICAL SELF AND
• Possessions and happiness
BEING A FILIPINO Devotion of time and money
(Boven, 2005 pp. 132)
Lesson 1. The Material and The importance of buying more
Economical Self ( Richins, 2003 p. 1)
“…joyless material
possessions[….] resulting in
1. The role of Material Objects in
comfort but not pleasure” (as
Self-description and self- cited in Nicolac et al., 2009 p.
perception 189)
• However, people are not born with 3. A person can possess spirituality
innate spirituality. It is something even he/she does not subscribe to
acquired as a result of various any religion. Spiritual models are
personal, social, and environmental present everywhere. They function
factors present throughout one’s for respondents as exemplars or
lifetime. In this regard, spirituality is spiritual qualities, such as
related to religiosity, which is often compassion, self-control, or faith.
used interchangeably with the former. Thus, a person can be spiritual
There are, however, distinct without being religious.
differences between the 2.
• What does spirituality bring to
RELIGIOSITY (Valerio, n.d.) one’s life?
For many people, the search for
- It is defined as the adherence to a sacredness and transcendence
belief system and practices can bring positive consequences
associated with a tradition in which to life. A spiritual person finds
there is agreement about what is contentment and serenity in
believed and practiced. It is a formal his/her life circumstances.
attachment to the set of beliefs, Through spirituality, questions
values, and practices of a particular such as “Am I a good person?”
religious sect. It includes specific and “How can I live my life to the
practices, proscriptions (what fullest?” are answered. Most
should not be done and avoided), importantly, spirituality allows
and participation in a specific one to become resilient a midst
community that shares the same challenges and roadblocks that
beliefs and practices. However, as occur in daily life.
• How is spirituality enhanced? phenomenological and sensorial link,
The best way of enhancing and the integration of practices
spirituality lies within the self. based on the notion that direct
Constant reflection and contact with the natural world has
meditation of life choices and healing potential.
decisions, developing empathy
and compassion toward other •Affinity with nature highlights the
people, and having faith in a emotional connection with nature,
higher being can enhance anchored on positive affective
spiritual intelligence. It is not experiences and authentic love for
about finding meaning in life, nature.
but rather, how meaning is
applied to life. •Ecopsychology is based on a
transpersonal and philosophical
2. CONNECTIONS WITH NATURE relationship with nature, highlighting
(Valerio, n.d.) beliefs and practices that promote
and enhance ecological, personal,
The Self and The Natural and community sustainability.
Environment
• The spiritual self is not only tied in 4. DISCOVERING LIFE’S
one’s connection with a higher being MEANING
and other people; it is also related to
how people relates to nature. Well-being and Life Satisfaction
• Religiosity aside, a significant
number of people have made a • Human beings are naturally
serious commitment to nature by inclined to assess their life, reflect on
taking care of animals, pledging the choice they have made, evaluate
advocacy for environmental issues, the consequences of such choice,
and practicing daily behaviours that and learn lessons from various
manifest a growing concern for the experiences
world. These are embodied in the
concepts of affinity with nature and • Well-being, being intrinsic in
Eco psychology. nature, is an inner, personal
construct, associated with self-
•Affinity with nature can be defined esteem, and self-understanding. It is
as the ties that bind people and how good one feels about
nature together. It can also mean himself/herself.
nature connectedness, defined as
the extent to which individuals • Life satisfaction is also intrinsic
include nature as part of their identity. but in this case, it is the general
If people feel that they are one with attitude towards life. When well-
nature, then destroying it can mean being and life satisfaction are
self-destruction and vice versa. present, happiness naturally flow.
This can also refer to the desire
•Ecopsychology shares many to change one’s life, satisfaction
similarities with the concept of with the past, satisfaction with
having affinity with nature. It is the future, and significant other’s
concerned with the fundamental views of one’s life (Diener, et al.,
interconnections between humans 1999). It is also associated with
and the natural world through a quality of life.
1. Effective self-perception. Being
• However, in some cases, able to change their attitude about
happiness is generally regarded as themselves and engage in self-
the emotional result of life monitoring to minimize negative
satisfaction. Happiness can be attitudes.
subjective and temporal while life
satisfaction is more encompassing. 2. Realistic self-esteem and self-
acceptance. Self-valuation and self-
How is well-being and life respect.
satisfaction achieved?
3. Control of behavior. Behavior
Personal factors such as awareness and regulation.
personality (such as openness to
experience and extraversion), 4. True perception of the world.
cognition, physical health, and vigor Harboring healthy perceptions of
have been associated with well- their environment and place within it.
being and life satisfaction.
5. Sustaining relationships and
• Environmental conditions affection. Manifesting empathy and
contribute to individual life sharing of positive emotions with
satisfaction. others.