The A. appraises Helga Dittmar's contribution to the psychological understanding of material culture (The Psychology of material possessions. To have is to be). A short historical bockground is given for the study of material possessions operating as an "extended self". In spite of its usefulness as a repertoire of information of all kinds, Dittmar's book is nol yet the much needed synthesis of Social Psychology's pctential for a deeper knowledge of material culture, due to severa I gaps as well as to the cursory and encyclopaedic treatment of many central issues.
Material Culture; Material possessions; Social Psychology