Literature Review #1: "Mindfulness and Consumerism" by Erika L. Rosenberg

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Rosenberg, Erika L. "Mindfulness and Consumerism." Psychology and Consumer Culture: The Struggle for a Good Life in a Materialistic World, edited by Tim Kasser and Allen D. Kanner. Washington, Psychological Association, 2004, pp. 107-125, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Erika_Rosenberg/publication/232442892_Mindfulness_and_consumerism/links/57d6c10a08ae6399a39599d6.pdf.

Summary

In this specific work, Rosenberg examines the impacts that consumerism can have on the human mind. She argues that American consumer behavior tends to be automatic and unexamined. This means people are less mindful and aware. She explains two main points: "First, advertisers and corporations capitalize on powerful psychological processes to strengthen automaticity in consumer behavior... Second, these nonconscious choices about consumption are driven by a need for fulfillment" (108). Consumerism can create a mindset in which people have the motive to constantly fulfill themselves by acquiring materialistic products to the point that it becomes automatic behavior. This automatic behavior influences individuals to flow with the status quo without being aware enough to fully think and act with deliberation. Psychological processes support nonconscious consumer choices, and corporations use these processes to their advantage without their audience being aware of it. Rosenberg points out, "In general, people do not realize how much they consume or how they have come to rely on consumption as a means of recreation or temporary fulfillment, because they examine neither their actions nor the underlying needs that are temporarily satiated by buying things" (110). She touches upon some of the studies that prove this type of systematic behavior exists. Indeed, it is useful for the mind to make some tasks automatic. However, it is often not beneficial to behave with automaticity. 

Through endless advertising, consumers experience exposure to products. People prefer familiarity, so repeated exposure through ads will convince individuals that products are more desirable than they really are. Also, companies understand how to use classical conditioning to their advantage by pairing a product with some pleasant unconditioned stimuli to establish an association between the commodity and something satisfying. She explains accordingly, "We eventually begin to associate the pleasantness with the product alone and our desire to have it becomes a conditioned response" (112). Consumption only temporarily induces a sense of satisfaction and does not offer much in terms of long-term fulfillment, which corresponds to the constant need of fulfillment individuals experience without realizing it. The associated pleasantness fades and the conditioned response kicks in time and time again through a recurring cycle. The point of this chapter in Psychology and Consumer Culture: The Struggle for a Good Life in a Materialistic World is to provide a psychological perspective on the effects of consumerism while also suggesting that mindfulness can serve as an antidote. Rosenberg explains how mindfulness has an opposite effect that helps heal the mind and reduces automaticity. She then suggests ways in which teachers and students can practice it. With raised awareness, students can understand the behaviors they are susceptible to and avoid blatant consumerism. Additionally, mindfulness helps develop contemplative skills and promotes healthy cognition. In turn, mindfulness also cures many mental disorders. It is important for our culture to find methods that change consumer mentality and remove the harmful effects that are prone to exist.

About the Author

Erika L. Rosenberg, PhD, is a health psychologist and meditation teacher from the Center for Mind and Brain at the University of California, Davis. There, she is a senior investigator on a multidisciplinary project that studies the impact of meditation on human cognition, emotion, and neurophysiology. 

Key Terms & Concepts

Mindfulness - awareness and the ability to see the happenings of one's inner and outer world (108)

Problem of Automaticity - the mind tends to make some behaviors and choices more unconscious and automatic while less mindful and deliberate; corporations take advantage of this (107)

Consumerism - consumer behavior that is influenced by corporations; companies understand natural human tendencies/psychological processes and often exploit them to their advantage

Need for Fulfillment - an underlying human inclination to satiate needs and desires; fulfillment is recurring because the nonconscious choices about consumption is only temporarily satisfying (108)

Classical Conditioning - pairs the presentation of an object to buy (presumably a neutral stimulus) with pleasant or desirable "unconditioned" stimuli to create an association between the product and something pleasant; we learn to think that we need to acquire particular products in order to be happy

Quotes

"First, advertisers and corporations capitalize on powerful psychological processes to strengthen automaticity in consumer behavior... Second, these nonconscious choices about consumption are driven by a need for fulfillment." (108)

"In general, people do not realize how much they consume or how they have come to rely on consumption as a means of recreation or temporary fulfillment, because they examine neither their actions nor the underlying needs that are temporarily satiated by buying things." (110)

"We eventually begin to associate the pleasantness with the product alone and our desire to have it becomes a conditioned response." (112)

Value

This material is valuable in helping me explore my research question. As I attempt to shed light on the trending "student-as-consumer" mentality and how students often view themselves as commodities, this source will help me examine the psychological effects. It demonstrates that these effects are detrimental to psychological wellbeing and development. There may exist automaticity in behavior because of this mindset, where students feel like they are pursuing their degree (a product) just to get by rather than pursuing a degree for meaningful growth and development. This will surely influence students to work toward degrees that will be financially stable, which is not always fitting for the student. These majors tend to be more difficult, stressful, and time consuming, which adds to psychological distress. In this type of environment, students may be motivated to learn for the wrong reasons in a way that does not promote well-rounded development. 

When the degree is viewed as a product, attaining one may promote automaticity in behavior (especially if the major was chosen only to provide a career that will pay off). It can remove the intrinsic value of higher education, making it seem less meaningful. Motivation to attain the degree and may be temporary, which is problematic for internal development in which students can be responsive to a rapidly changing environment. If no intrinsic benefit is perceived and the marginal cost of the education exceeds the marginal benefit to the student, the individual may be less motivated, discouraged, and stressed. A low degree of personal control may arise, and all of these factors can exacerbate the development of mental disorders while in college. I will use this source to help me outline the effects of consumerism on education, which are indirectly the effects of privatization. These effects are not ideal for psychological wellbeing. Also, this source is great for outlining the importance of mindfulness as a method of coping with college life.