Advertising, materialism and consumption are
central aspects of contemporary Western culture. We are
bombarded with idealised images of the perfect body,
desirable consumer goods, and affluent lifestyles, yet
psychology is only just beginning to take account of the
profound influence these consumer culture ideals have on
individuals’ sense of identity and
worth.
Consumer Culture, Identity, and
Well-Being documents the negative psychological
impact consumer culture can have on how individuals view
themselves and on their emotional welfare. It looks at
the social psychological dimensions of having, buying
and wanting material goods, as well as the pursuit of
media-hyped appearance ideals. In particular, it focuses
on:
- The purchasing of material goods as a means of
expressing and seeking identity, and the negative
consequences of this
- Psychological buying motivations in conventional
buying environments and on the Internet
- The unrealistic socio-cultural beauty ideals
embodied by idealized models.
Throughout,
different approaches from social psychology are
integrated, such as self-completion, self-discrepancy
and value theory, to create a comprehensive theoretical
framework for understanding the impact of internalising
core consumer culture ideals on how individuals see
themselves and the implications this has for their
psychological and physical health.
Consumer
Culture, Identity, and Well-Being is of interest to
anybody who wants to find out more about the
psychological effects of living in modern consumer
societies on children, adolescents, and adults. More
specifically, it will be of interest to students and
researchers in social psychology, sociology, media
studies, communication and other social sciences, as
well as to psychologists, health workers, and
practitioners interested in the topics of identity,
consumption pathologies, body image, and body-related
behaviours.