| It's no secret that companies want us to believe that | | | | Journal of Personality and Social Psychology by Travis |
| their products will improve our quality of life. From | | | | Carter and Tom Gilovich looks at differences in the |
| shampoos that will make us more attractive to the | | | | way people treat choices involving material goods |
| latest big-screen TV to blow our minds, | | | | (toys, electronics and jewelery) and choices involving |
| advertisements and shop windows are shouting about | | | | experiences (climbing the steps of the temples at Tikal, |
| how we can be more happy if we own their stuff. | | | | boating across Lake Atitlan). Carter and Gilovich drew |
| The interesting thing is that recent research has shown | | | | some interesting conclusions, including that people |
| material possessions are not likely to make us happy | | | | become less satisfied with consumer purchases over |
| at all; the key to a fulfilling life lies elsewhere. | | | | time, whereas those who had bought into experiences |
| A paper published in the January, 2010 issue of the | | | | grew more satisfied over time. |