Emotional Intelligence and Materialism: Mediating Effect of Subjective Well-being
(A2019-9134)

AUTHORS

Beata Šeinauskienė, Kaunas University of Technology; Aušra Rūtelionė, Kaunas University of Technology; Rosita Lekavičienė, Kaunas university of technology; Ligita Jakštė, Kaunas university of technology

KEYWORDS

materialism; emotional intelligence; subjective well-being

ABSTRACT

Research on emotional intelligence effect on materialism has been largely ignored. We propose that subjective well-being functions as a mechanism through which emotional intelligence is linked to materialism. The present study contributes to the literature by clarifying the influence of understanding and managing one’s emotions on subjective well-being and ultimately on the proclivity to materialism. We examined whether positive affect, negative affect and life satisfaction mediate the relationship between emotional intelligence and the three facets of materialism: success, centrality, and happiness. This study used a questionnaire to collect data from 724 respondents - university students. Path analyses indicated that greater emotional intelligence was positively associated with higher levels subjective well-being, which, in turn, predicted lower levels of materialism.