Understanding the Relationship between Consumption and Happiness: Quantitative Research in Portugal

Can consumption generate happiness, or is it time to question this premise and seek a deeper understanding of the true pillars of human achievement? To answer this question, we examined how consumption is represented as a pathway to happiness, and the factors that influence this link. The types of material and experiential consumption and their relationship with the happiness of consumption were studied, as well as social approval, as it is one of the most relevant factors for those who seek happiness through consumption. Quantitative research was conducted with data collection by questionnaire in a sample of 525 respondents. The results found support that it is material consumption that reveals a direct effect on consumption happiness. Social approval has not been shown to have a direct effect on consumer happiness. Consumer happiness, in turn, has not been shown to contribute to happiness. However, concerning the types of consumption, there was a direct relationship between experiential consumption and happiness. From the results obtained, we speculate the justification by changes in consumption patterns and consumers’ evolution, who have become more intelligent and demanding.