The Effects of Consumption on Self-esteem

Research on the effect of consumption on self-esteem is relatively scarce and related evidence is fragmented. We review articles from the literature on consumption, advertising, materialism, mass media, and social media as they relate - directly or indirectly - to consumer self-esteem. We introduce a taxonomy of eight types of processes through which consumption affects self-esteem: self-discrepancy, self-congruency, self-enhancement, self-determination, compensatory consumption, self-verification, self-object association, and market-mediated relationships. Based on this taxonomy, we highlight consumption domains and recent consumer trends that impact self-esteem. Moreover, we suggest priorities for further research.