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Speaking of Psychology

What our possessions mean to us, with Russell Belk, PhD

Speaking of Psychology

Kim Mills

Health & Fitness, Life Sciences, Science, Mental Health

4.3781 Ratings

🗓️ 4 January 2023

⏱️ 33 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The things that we own can be central to our identity, part of how we see ourselves and how other people see us. Russell Belk, PhD, of York University, talks about the role our possessions play in our lives; what drives collectors to collect items as disparate as stamps, art and Pez dispensers; how the word “possessions” can encompass physical, digital and even completely intangible items; and how has the rise of the sharing economy is changing the way people think about the importance of ownership. Links Russell Belk, PhD Speaking of Psychology Home Page Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

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0:28.5

Club, T&C's and Exclusion Supply. Many of you may have spent the past few weeks exchanging

0:33.7

gifts with family and friends. And maybe you're now enjoying some new possessions, or returning those that didn't fit or

0:40.8

weren't quite what you wanted.

0:43.0

Perhaps you're going through your old stuff, following through on a New Year's resolution

0:46.9

to declutter.

0:48.3

So it seems like a good time of year to talk about possessions and what possessions mean to

0:53.0

us.

0:54.0

The things we own can be central to our identity, according to some research. to talk about possessions and what possessions mean to us.

0:58.4

The things we own can be central to our identity, according to some researchers,

1:02.4

part of how we see ourselves and how other people see us.

1:06.0

So what role do possessions play in our lives?

1:09.4

Why are many people driven to acquire things,

1:13.3

especially to systematically collect items such as stamps,

1:17.8

art, antique cars, or even matchbooks or PEZ dispensers?

1:20.4

What does it mean to own something?

1:25.7

To possessions have to be physical objects, or can they be digital or completely intangible?

1:32.7

What happens when we have to give things up, when we downsize or declutter or lose a treasured possession?

...

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