The Relationship Between Materialism and Prosocial Behavior: A Three-Level Meta-Analytic Review

Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, this three-level meta-analysis synthesized 66 studies (42,897 participants, 114 effect sizes) to examine the materialism-prosocial behavior association and its moderators. Materialism was significantly negatively correlated with overall prosocial behavior (r = -0.15, 95% CI = [-0.17, -0.13], p < 0.001), with notable subtype disparities: the negative link was strongest for prosocial intention/tendency (r = -0.21, p < 0.001) and weakest for prosocial consumption (r = -0.02, p = 0.004). Prosocial behavior type was a core moderator (31% between-study heterogeneity explained; QM = 13.69, p = 0.003) and interacted significantly with research type, with experimental data amplifying materialism’s effect on prosocial intention/tendency (r = -0.45 vs. cross-sectional r = -0.19). Negative publication bias was detected, yet sensitivity analysis and Trim-and-Fill correction confirmed result robustness (corrected r = -0.076, p < 0.001). Materialism inhibits prosocial behavior in a subtype-specific way, with effects shaped by research context; core findings are robust and inform targeted interventions in materialistic societies.