Ownership: How people perceive something as “theirs”. Definition and contribution to its measurement

Psychological Ownership (PO) has often been overlooked by researchers, even though intuitions regarding property are quite common in everyday life. This thesis discusses how the concept of ownership could be defined from the perspective of four different subjects (psychology, law, anthropology and economics), including how it arises psychologically and why. A hypothesis and relevant evidence regarding PO as a moral foundation within the framework of the Moral Foundations Theory will be offered. Then, a study investigating the relationship between PO and demographic variables is discussed. The study represents a contribution and a first approach to the quantitative measurement of PO. Limitations and suggested future studies are discussed.