The present research reports four studies (N = 3319) which collectively demonstrate that mindfulness lowers maximization and consumers’ materialistic desires, such as their preference for luxury goods. Specifically, we examined whether mindfulness decreases people’s ascribed importance to material pursuits in general—self-reported materialism—and their interest in luxury goods in particular. Additionally, as potential mediators for this effect, we theorized for and examined maximization’s three underlying facets—alternative search, decision difficulty, and high standards. We found alternative search to be the mechanism. To further inform our model, we went a step further to explain why mindfulness attenuates alternative search. An examination into two potential antecedents of alternative search—autopilot and stimulation preference—revealed that autopilot explains the effect. Of note, this investigation empirically tests the model via trait and state mindfulness, thus demonstrating causality and practical relevance. We discuss theoretical and managerial implications.
