Less Is More: Why and When Having Less Signals Competence

Living with less has become increasingly popular in contemporary culture. It can simplify people’s lives and enhance their well-being. Beyond these intrapersonal benefits, we document a novel, interpersonal benefit of having less: individuals who own fewer possessions are perceived as more competent than those who own more. This effect arises because observers infer that they rely more on reasoning rather than feelings in decision-making. We further develop a three-condition descriptive model specifying that the effect emerges when having fewer possessions appears voluntary, when the possessions are primarily non-hedonic, and when the quantity of possessions is sufficient to meet minimum needs. This research extends the literature on the benefits of having less from an intrapersonal to an interpersonal perspective and identifies possession quantity as a new cue for perceived competence.