Materialistic Values in Hong Kong and Guangzhou

This article integrates two competing perspectives on value orientation. Inglehart's postmaterialism thesis stresses the permanent effects of childhood experience in which economic deprivation leads to materialism in adult life. The human development perspective, in contrast, emphasizes the evolution of a person's value system as life-cycle development unfolds new circumstances and possibilities. We adopt a developmental framework to test claims from these two perspectives. On the basis of micro-level data, we compare the materialistic values of two historically and culturally different Chinese societies, Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Findings support Inglehart's assertions that childhood experience has lasting effects and that rapid social changes create birth cohort differences in materialistic concerns. But life-cycle developments, such as education, marriage, and current social status, are equally important in influencing a person's value orientation. Both perspectives see only part of the picture, and an integrated approach is needed to better understand how people construct and maintain their value system

Economics · Epistemology · Materialism · Positive economics · Social science · Social value orientations · Sociology · World Values Survey · Cultural Differences and Values · Psychology · Social and Cultural Dynamics · Social Psychology

• Identity Achievement and Idol Worship among Teenagers in Hong Kong

  Open Access•C K Cheung, Xiaodong Yue et al.•International Journal of…•2003

  Añadir item

• Cynicism About Community Engagement in Hong Kong

  Catherine C H Chiu, Catherine Chiu•Sociological Spectrum•2005

  Añadir item

• Work values and success in studying

  Open Access•Mladen Knežević, Rok Ovsenik et al.•International Social Work•2005

  Añadir item

• Factors Affecting the Understanding and Use of Psychoanalysis in Hong Kong, Mainland China, and Taiwan

  Open Access•Diego Busiol•Journal of the American…•2015

  Añadir item