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Abstract

Adolescents frequently engage in spending behavior as part of their daily routines,
but little is known about how such behavior contributes to their emotional well-being.
Previous studies have shown that prosocial spending promotes happiness, yet most of this
research has been conducted in individualistic cultures and with adult participants. The
current study aims to investigate whether remembering different types and amounts of
spending experiences affects adolescents' happiness and future behavioral intentions.
Involving 127 adolescents aged 15–18 years, this research employed a 2x2 between-subjects
design using a recall-based task comparing the effects of spending money on oneself and
others at two different amounts (Rp 5,000 and Rp 20,000). Participants were instructed to
recall a prior spending experience, complete the Subjective Happiness Scale, and choose the
type of spending they believed would bring them happiness. ANOVA results showed that
prosocial spending, especially at higher amounts, significantly increased happiness
compared to personal spending. However, logistic regression revealed that subsequent
spending decisions were more influenced by the recall-based task context than current
happiness levels. These findings highlight that recalling emotionally salient acts of giving
enhances happiness, but subsequent behavioral intentions appeared to be shaped more by
contextual framing than by current emotional states. The practical implications highlight the
importance of integrating prosocial values into education and psychological interventions for
adolescents, particularly within collectivist cultural contexts.

Keywords

happiness money spending personal spending prosocial spending

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