Material Values Scale – MVS
Measures materialism as a consumer value across three dimensions: success, centrality, and happiness.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Material Values Scale – MVS was developed by Marsha L. Richins, Scott Dawson (1992). It is designed to measure Materialism. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 18 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Success, Centrality, Happiness.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Success | 1,2,3,4,5,6 | 6 |
| Centrality | 7,8,9,10,11,12,13 | 7 |
| Happiness | 14,15,16,17,18 | 5 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree).
The scale includes 8 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 18 to 90. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Materialism: 18 – 42
- Moderate Materialism: 43 – 66
- High Materialism: 67 – 90
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Success alpha: .71-.75, Centrality alpha: .74-.78, Happiness alpha: .73-.83.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.