Less is More: Unveiling the Links between Minimalism, Well-being, Psychological Need Satisfaction, and Individual Differences

IDA alumna Trang Ngo presented her Master thesis at the graduation ceremony of the IDA cohort 2022-2024.

In a world increasingly driven by consumption, minimalism stands out as a lifestyle of simplicity, mindfulness, and intentional choices. In the past few years, the trend of minimalism has become increasingly popular. However, there is a knowledge gap in understanding whether individual differences may play a role in living a minimalist lifestyle, and the potential benefits of this lifestyle. Therefore, this study aimed to bridge the gap by exploring the predictors of minimalism, its associated benefits on well-being and psychological need satisfaction. Furthermore, it sought to determine whether age and financial security moderate the relationship between minimalism and well-being. A group of 537 participants (Mage = 43) from diverse backgrounds completed an online survey that measured their levels of financial security, minimalism, subjective and psychological well-being, psychological need satisfaction, and personality traits. Structural Equation Modeling was employed to analyze the data. The results suggested that individual differences in age, conscientiousness, neuroticism, agreeableness, openness, level of education predicted minimalism. Additionally, we found that minimalism was positively associated with subjective well-being and four dimensions of psychological well-being, while its association with psychological need satisfaction was not significant. Furthermore, age and financial security did not moderate the relationship between minimalism and subjective and psychological well-being. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the potential benefits associated with living a minimalist lifestyle. Future longitudinal research could explore the temporal dynamics of these relationships, providing insight into the long-term benefits of embracing minimalism. 

Keywords: minimalism, subjective and psychological well-being, psychological need 

satisfaction, individual differences

Trang is now continuing her career in academia as a PhD candidate at Tilburg University. Congratulations Trang and best of luck with your new position!