The+Pernicious+Influence+of+Individualism+and+Consumer-obsession+on+the+Mental+Health+of+Generation+Y

Name: Ruth Eng Student Number: n8308560 Tutor: Abbey Hamilton

**Cultural Artefact**
This photograph is taken by free-lance artist Jim Pope on the streets of Hanoi. The foreground features an older Hanoi woman carrying her produce to sell at the market while the background features an advertisement of a modern and fashionable young woman who is promoting Maybelline makeup in New York. Pope’s use of juxtaposition in this image depicts the notion that times are changing; society’s younger generations have progressed to become those who are focused on materialistic gains, rather than ones who live a simple and uncompetitive life (Dodd, Saggers and Wildly, 2009).


 * Public Health Issue**

The artefact is a palpable representation of the individualistic and consumerist nature of Generation Y, in comparison to its preceding generations. However, in society today, the adverse mental health effects of these characteristics often go unrecognised. This essay will examine Generation Y’s technology usage and vulnerability to the media, as the major predisposing factors to the degree of their individualism and consumerism. It will critically analyse, from a social and cultural perspective, the negative impact of these factors on the dehumanisation of this generation, and how this has resulted in the increasing prevalence of mental health disorders (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011). An improvement in the future health of Generation Y requires a solution to this issue – public awareness needs to be raised and professionals need to undertake adequate action. Prevention is better than cure.


 * Literature Review**

The length of a particular generation is typically marked by an increase and decrease in birth rates (Westerman and Yamamura, 2007). A generation is composed of a particular group of people who share similar world views grounded in defining social or historical events that have occurred during the developmental years of their lifetime (Crumpacker and Crumpacker, 2007). Each generation therefore, comes with original beliefs, values, attitudes and expectations which collaboratively determine their general behavior (Glass, 2007). Reviews of academic literature describe Generation Y, born between 1982 and 2000 (Shaw & Fairhurst, 2008), as confident, individualistic, self-reliant and entrepreneurial. Furthermore, studies show that Generation Y often desire clear directions, and demand for freedom and flexibility to complete tasks according to their own way and pace (Shaw & Fairhurst, 2008). They have also been observed as consumer – obsessed as they focus intently on fashion and brands and possess a higher propensity to spend (O’Cass & Choy, 2008).

Individualism is associated with the themes of agency, autonomy, personal-control and an independent self construal (Kirsh & Kuiper, 2002) and is said to stand emphatically opposed to the collectivist and team-orientated spirit valued and promoted by Generation X (Moore, 2005). While collectivists adopt a sacrificial attitude to maintain group harmony, individualistic cultures place greater emphasis on self-sufficiency and a deriving of satisfaction and pride in one’s personal accomplishments, thereby, enhancing self-concept, self- confidence, selfishness and expediency (Parker, Haytko & Herman, 2009). Individualistic people feature greater concern with personal fate and prioritise personal goals. They also prefer to remain emotionally detached from other people (Parker, Haytko & Herman, 2009).Traditional views of individualism suggest that Eastern countries are more inclined to posses collectivist tendencies while Western countries exhibit more individualistic tendencies (Parker, Haytko & Herman, 2009). Nevertheless, studies show that both are equally as individualistic as each other (Parker, Haytko & Herman, 2009) due to the globalisation of trade and the increasing homogeneity of Generation Y worldwide (Moore, 2005).

A prime example of Generation Y’s individualism is seen in the workplace. Since they are the most recent demographic group to have entered higher education and the workforce (Shaw and Fairhurst, 2008), they possess different workplace characteristics and expectations in comparison to previous generations (Broadbridge et.al, 2007). These have consequently determined their impact as employees and consumers (Shih & Allen, 2007). Generation Y employees are motivated to work by the desire of enhancing their professional skills in order to remain marketable (Sayers, 2007), and demand instant gratification for their efforts (Shaw & Fairhurst, 2008). This individual initiative increases work ethic (Lee, Pant & Ali, 2010) and has also been proven to affect consumerism, as the desire for one to be materialistic is tempered by an individual’s ethical values. Therefore, Generation Y is more inclined to be consumer-obsessed in order to satisfy their self-reliant nature (Lee, Pant & Ali, 2010).

Over the past two decades, consumer-obsession has been of significant interest in the fields of research (Raab et. Al, 2011) because studies show that it can greatly affect well- being (Weaver, Moschis & Davis, 2011). Researchers believe that studying prior events of an individual’s life as well as their perception of the future can help to determine patterns of consumer behavior (Moschis, 2007). Consumer-obsession is the response or desire to obtain and use, experience a feeling, substance or activity that will consistently lead one to engage in that behavior, ultimately causing harm to themselves and others (Weaver, Moschis & Davis, 2011). A recent study showed that the majority of respondents believed that society’s younger generations were much more materialistic than previous generations (Weaver, Moschis & Davis, 2011). However, these findings may be inaccurate as the methodologies were based on personal opinion rather than evidence. Other research found that females were more likely to be consumer-obsessed than males (Ridgway, Kukar-Kinney & Monroe, 2008).

Many studies have found a psychological explanation to support the cause of consumer obsession, believing that it is a means of coping with unpleasant thoughts and circumstances (Roberts, Manolis & Tanner, 2006). Others have employed a social perspective, believing that an increased Western influence will lead to increased consumerism, as consumer-obsession is assumed to be greater in cultures where the accumulation of material possessions is well-regarded and portrays success (Weaver, Moschis & Davis, 2011). Increased use of technology and the internet, also contributes to an onset of consumer-obsession because companies have to change and compete in order to cope with the well-informed, selective and controlling customers of Generation Y (Racolta-Paina & Luca, 2010). The purchasing power of this generation is undoubtedly an appealing market for businesses and financial institutions (Noble, Haytko & Phillips, 2009). Nevertheless, researchers have warned that individualism and increasing consumer behavior can lead to a deteriorating mental health status, particularly in depression (Weaver, Moschis & Davis, 2011). These findings are in accordance with statistics showing the prevalence of mental disorders among Australian youths, (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011) - a significant public health issue that needs to be addressed.

Mental health is an integral and essential component of health (Saxena, 2007). According to the World Health Organisation (2011), it refers to a broad array of activities that are either directly or indirectly linked to the mental well-being of a person. It is also related to the prevention of mental disorders and the treatment and rehabilitation of sufferers, in order to promote a state of well-being (World Health Organisation, 2011). According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2011), in 2007, 76% of all young people assessed their own mental health as excellent or very good. However, studies from the previous year showed that almost 26% of the entire young population suffered from a mental disorder. Furthermore, Generation Y had the highest prevalence of mental disorders in comparison to previous generations, with bipolar affective disorder and depression, both ranking at 3%, as the common disorders reported. Approximately one quarter of the young population suffering from a mental disorder possessed a severe level of impairment (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011).

However, despite this high prevalence of and susceptibility to mental health disorders, there is an inequity and scarcity of treatment available to deal with this public health issue. Statistics show that there is an average of two U.S. dollars spent per person, per year on mental health, with less than twenty-five cents being spent on individuals in low-income countries (World Health Organisation, 2011). Among those suffering from a mental health condition in Australia, only 34% of adults had used some form of medication for their mental health in the past two weeks, with the most commonly used medications being antidepressants (73%), sleeping pills (20%) and medication for anxiety and nerves (20%) (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011). From a governance perspective, only 60% of countries have a dedicated mental health policy, 71% possess a mental health plan and 59% reported of having dedicated mental health legislations (World Health Organisation, 2011). From a resource and infrastructure perspective, almost half of the world’s population lives in an area where the ratio of psychiatrists to individuals is approximately one or less, to 200, 000 people (World Health Organisation, 2011). In addition, the global median for psychiatric beds within general hospitals is 1.4 beds per 100,000 people. Finally, for those individuals who have received mental health treatment, only 77% remain in hospital for less than a year, implying a lack of rehabilitation processes in order to achieve a sense of sustainable well-being for the patient (World Health Organisation, 2011). These statistics prove valuable when determining the future of Generation Y’s mental health, as the methodologies employed involved questionnaire development, peer review and focal point innovation.

Collated data shows that human, social and financial resources are critically needed in order to address mental health prevalence among Australian youths in a viable and sustainable way, that is, to achieve the World Health Report objective of adequate and effective access to humane treatment and rehabilitation of individuals suffering from these conditions (Saxena, 2007). In 2006-2007, an increased income from patient activity in Australian acute and psychiatric hospitals, suggests that there may be increased awareness and quality of mental health care available for patients to use (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011). However, an increased income could also suggest an increased percentage of Generation Y suffering from severe mental health impairments, due to the social and cultural factors that drive their individualism and consumer-obsession.


 * Cultural and Social Analysis**

Generation Y has often been described as the most technically literate, educated and ethnically diverse generation in history (Shaw & Fairhurst, 2008). Studies show that they account for 30% of adult internet users, with 85% of this population stating that they use the internet at least occasionally (Sage, 2010). Increased technology usage and the internet is by far one of the major social determinants of increasing mental disorder prevalence among Generation Y, as research shows that these have increased influence on the individualism, consumer attitudes, marketing and spending of this generation (Sage, 2010).

The internet provides a space for individuals to research any topic imaginable from the very comfort of their own home. Nevertheless, studies have found that this leads to loss of social interaction, via face to face communication, and may therefore be accompanied by social anxiety, loneliness and chronic depression (DeRushia, 2010). Likewise, studies also show that there is an identifiable correlation between the younger generation who watch television alone and deterioration in their mental health (Bickham & Michael, 2006). Once again, with increased viewing time, there is a lack of social interaction which enhances individualism, and the consequent onset of anxiety and depression.

The reason that Generation Y women are more susceptible to depression than men, has often been attributed to the fact that women are more inclined to seek help about their situation, therefore, there are more women with reported cases of mental disorders (Kirsh & Kuiper, 2002). Nevertheless, recent studies now attribute the reason to both physiological and socio-cultural factors. Firstly, they believe that women are more exposed to hormonal changes than males and therefore, are more likely to become depressed (Kirsh & Kuiper, 2002). Secondly, there is the notion of gender stereotypes, where researchers employ the theory of adaptation. They believe that men and women have and are still raised differently, despite Generation Y growing up in an era that fights for gender equality. Males are socialised to be active, masterful and autonomous while women are socialised to be passive, compliant and invest in more interpersonal relationships (Kirsh & Kuiper, 2002). Therefore, because the characteristic of individualism is a ‘normal’ component of a male’s social identity, the females of Generation Y are unable to ‘adapt’ as well and hence, are more susceptible to depression and other mental disorders (Kirsh & Kuiper, 2002).

As research states, individualism leads to increased consumer- obsession (Lee, Pant & Ali, 2010) and according to statistics, increased consumer-obsession has led to increased mental disorder prevalence among Australian youth (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011; Weaver, Moschis & Davis, 2011). Researchers believe that Generation Y’s high income, compared to previous generations, and their higher propensity to spend (O’Cass & Cho, 2008), has contributed to their consumer-obsession.

From a cultural perspective, it could also be because Generation Y is so engrossed in their technically wired world, spending countless hours in front of the television screen where they are undoubtedly exposed to the manipulative power of the media, which forces them to purchase products through the advertisements that they see. Adolescent females, in particular, are brought up in a world saturated with media, with American teenagers spending an average of six to seven hours in it each day (Maltby & Day, 2010). Research shows that the media often portrays a distorted judgment concerning a particular issue, and without the right discernment and analysis, audiences are subtly seduced and influenced by the messages behind the words and images (Maltby & Day, 2010), thus leading to adverse mental health effects. Perhaps this also implies that the way in which a single source of information is presented could become the very cause of anomalies in the structure and evolution of our society (Walter, Conte & Lodi, 2011).

From a philosophical perspective, according to Leon Festinger’s theory of ‘social comparison’ and Cooley’s theory of the ‘looking glass self’, humans process social stimuli by comparing themselves with others in order to evaluate and establish similarities and differences (Krayer, Ingledew & Iphophen, 2008). Therefore, with increased exposure to advertisements which promote the newest goods, Generation Y is very likely to continually purchase in order to maintain or re-boost their confidence and high self-esteem (Shaw & Fairhurst, 2008), unaware of the fact that this constant manipulation by the media is dehumanising them.

It is important for us to realise these social and cultural factors in order to gain better understanding of the individualism and consumer-obsession of Generation Y. This will in turn provide an insight into the extent of the deteriorating mental health of this generation and afford the opportunity for public health workers to offer specifically tailored counseling services and resource management in order to reduce mental health prevalence amongst Generation Y Australian youths. Thus, a holistically healthy generation can be achieved and sustained both now, and into the future.

**Artefact Analysis and Reflection**

The artefact is an exceptional example of the ‘changing times’ in present day society. We have progressed from the generation in which we valued the simplicity of life, signified by the older Hanoi woman in the foreground, to one in which each member is individualistic and consumer-obsessed, represented by the advertisement in the background. The endless needs and self-reliant nature of Generation Y are undoubtedly having a negative effect on the mental health of this generation. With no real evidence of the Australian government dealing with this public health issue, what the future holds for this generation is particularly alarming, especially since I am a female member of Generation Y.

This assessment item has provided me with insight into the characteristics of my generation and the dangers of technology usage, something that has become of an innate nature to Generation Y. I have learnt to be critical of the media, so as to not let my decisions be controlled by its manipulative and dehumanising power. However, most of all, I am aware that the deteriorating mental health prevalence among members of my own generation, is as a significant public health issue that requires immediate action. As a future public health professional, I believe that this realisation will also benefit me in better understanding my patients in practice.


 * Peer Reflections**

**Page 1**: I want an iPhone! Individualism, Consumerism, Technology and Gen Y's Mental Health

 * Subject**: Very Enlightening!


 * Reflection**: This is an excellent piece of work, and it is evident that a lot of research has been put into it. I also researched this topic for my assessment and found the statistics of mental health prevalence, among Generation Y, to be particularly alarming. It was confronting to see how the individualistic and consumer-obsessed characteristics of Generation Y, a generation that I am a member of, could have such a dehumanising effect. Furthermore, while researching this topic, I was given insight into the manipulative power of the media and their advertisements, something that we are unconsciously and continually exposed to in our daily lives. It’s frightening to imagine what the future holds for our generation.


 * Page 2:** Doctors and Patients - Are We from Different Planets?


 * Subject:** Interesting


 * Reflection:** Well done on an excellent and informative Wiki! It never really appeared to me that there could be so much miscommunication between public health professionals and their patients. I found it particularly interesting that patients and doctors of the same ethnic background were able to communicate better, compared to a doctor and patient who 'came from different planets.' It just goes to show the need for many of us, as future health professionals, to take the time and interest to become 'clued in' to other cultures and ethnic diversities in order to be able to provide our future patients with the best care and support possible.

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