A research on the effect of consumption types on subjective well-being in the consumer society

The aim of the study is to examine the effect of consumption types on subjective well-being (happiness). In this context, the effects of conspicuous consumption, hedonic consumption, utilitarian consumption, symbolic consumption and experiential consumption, which are generally accepted in the literature, on subjective well-being (happiness) were investigated. Since it was aimed to reach generalizable results by using numerical data in the study, the descriptive method, which is among the quantitative methods that adopt the empirical and deductive approach, was used. In addition, survey research design, which is the most used type of research in social sciences, was used in the research. When the literature on the subject was examined within the scope of the study, it was seen that the validity and reliability of the scales about conspicuous, experiential and symbolic consumption were not tested. For this reason, first of all, a study was carried out with a sample group of 400 people to adapt scales related to conspicuous, experiential and symbolic consumption into Turkish. As a result of the study, measuring tools related to conspicuous, experiential and symbolic consumption, whose validity and reliability were tested, were obtained. Later, the quantitative research process was carried out by using the survey technique in a sample of 1042 consumers living in the provinces of Burdur, Isparta and Antalya, known as the "Western Mediterranean Region". The data obtained were analyzed with the help of SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 21.0 package programs. As a result of the research; it has been determined that the conspicuous, utilitarian, experiential and symbolic consumption of consumers has statistically significant positive effects on their subjective well-being (happiness). Since studies on the effects of consumption types on subjective well-being (happiness) are very limited in Turkish literature, this study is important in terms of creating a source for marketing. Another important dimension of the research; it is the adaptation of the scales to Turkish by demonstrating their validity and reliability in measuring the conspicuous consumption, experiential consumption and symbolic consumption behaviors of individuals and the interpretation of the data obtained from these scales.