The State of Psychological Ownership: Integrating and Extending a Century of Research

TLDR

People develop feelings of ownership for both material and immaterial objects, a state termed psychological ownership. The authors provide a conceptual examination of psychological ownership, defining it and exploring why it exists and how it arises. They argue that psychological ownership originates from intraindividual motives—efficacy and effectance, self‑identity, and having a place to dwell—and discuss the experiences that give rise to it and its positive and negative consequences. Their work establishes a foundation for a comprehensive theory of psychological ownership and offers conceptual groundwork for empirical testing.

Abstract

People develop feelings of ownership for a variety of objects, material and immaterial in nature. We refer to this state as psychological ownership. Building on and extending previous scholarship, the authors offer a conceptual examination of this construct. After defining psychological ownership, they address “why” it exists and “how” it comes into being. They propose that this state finds its roots in a set of intraindividual motives (efficacy and effectance, self-identity, and having a place to dwell). In addition, they discuss the experiences that give rise to psychological ownership and propose several positive and negative consequences of this state. The authors’ work provides a foundation for the development of a comprehensive theory of psychological ownership and the conceptual underpinnings for empirical testing.