Development of the Voluntary Simplicity Engagement Scale: Measuring Low-Consumption Lifestyles

Journal of Consumer Policy

Those who choose to reduce their material consumption to seek satisfaction in non-material
ways are said to be living a life of voluntary simplicity. This lifestyle has potentially important
implications for both environmental sustainability and individual well-being. In research,
voluntary simplifiers are typically identified informally or by using measurement tools that
may not reflect current simplifying practices. The aim of the current work was to develop a
measure of voluntary simplicity based on the practices of contemporary simplifiers. Using a
mixed-methods approach, qualitative interviews with 16 self-identified voluntary simplifiers
were used to develop a questionnaire that was then administered to a sample of 423 partici-
pants. The questionnaire was refined statistically, resulting in the development of the 21-item
Voluntary Simplicity Engagement Scale. The scale displays sound psychometric qualities and,
with additional validation, should serve as a useful addition to the study of voluntary
simplicity.