SRP Year
2015-2016
Principal Investigator(s)
Study Description
The purpose of this study was to investigate the link between status, consumption, and life satisfaction. A nationally-representative survey of U.S. residents was fielded to extend sociological research on styles of cultural consumption to consideration of consumption more generally. This research examines how processes of social comparison and reference groups might vary by social location across a range of visible, positional goods and how styles of consumption and reference groups affect life satisfaction. Information on respondents’ cultural consumption and on a range of socio-demographic characteristics was also collected.
Research Team
Emily Meanwell
Cara Davies
Colleen Johnston
Kristin Kelley
Peter Lista
Muna Adem
Jasmine Davis
Vitor Dias
Haley Edwards
Emma Frieh
Nolan Greenup
Kerry Gross
Brent Hutchison
Aminta Moses
Anna Russian
Taylor (Mike) Schutte
Sean Vina
Wendy Puquirre
Undergraduate Research Assistants
McKenzie Haines
Ben Gonzalez
Chuck Wilson
Lindsay Snodgrass
Cecily Kemp
Maria Matney
Oluwadara Adeosun
Javon Lipscomb
This study was conducted with support from the staff at the Center for Survey Research at Indiana University and used the Center's centralized telephone interviewing facility located on the Bloomington campus. CSR interviewers assisted in data collection.
Sources of Support
This study was supported by funding from the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University-Bloomington.