Abstract

Based on Donnelly et al.’s (2016) Escape Theory, this study aimed to investigate the multiple mediating effects of neuroticism and self-reflection on the relationship between social comparison tendency and materialism in a sample of Korean adults. A total of 445 participants (218 men and 227 women) were surveyed through an online platform, and the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The findings revealed that the social comparison tendency significantly influenced materialism, with the relationship being both individually and serially mediated by neuroticism and self-reflection. Specifically, the results suggest that a stronger tendency among Korean adults to engage in social comparisons is associated with heightened negative emotional states, which, in turn, reduces their likelihood of engaging in in-depth self-reflection and instead focus on materialistic values to emotionally escape from their negative emotional states. These findings underscore the importance of addressing the interconnected mechanisms of social comparison tendency, neuroticism, and self-reflection to mitigate the adverse effects of excessive materialism.