L2, Consumption: different perspectives and academic responsibilities
50 important questions on L2, Consumption: different perspectives and academic responsibilities
Why is there no direct relationship between income and consumption?
That is because various other factors influence the (relative) autonomy of consumption behaviour;
- - Historically and culturally changing times
- - Competing life philosophies
- - Political attitudes
- - etc..
What were the different views on consumption mentioned? (evt naar lecture 4)
Adam Smith: “that consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production
Jean-Baptiste Say: saw production as being the real foundation of wealth or value (consumption originates in production)
Keynes: demand creates its own supply. Economic growth can be created best by strengthening incentives for consumption
Modigliani: consumers decisions differ within their life cycles
Galbraith: linked consumption to a historically new phenomenon of an affluent society
Scitovsky: related consumption to human needs
Jean-Baptiste Say: saw production as being the real foundation of wealth or value (consumption originates in production)
Keynes: demand creates its own supply. Economic growth can be created best by strengthening incentives for consumption
Modigliani: consumers decisions differ within their life cycles
Galbraith: linked consumption to a historically new phenomenon of an affluent society
Scitovsky: related consumption to human needs
Describe conspicuous consumption.
Conspicuous consumption: the tendencies of economic activities to be driven by non-utilitarian, even impractical motives that are more akin to tribal and prehistoric behaviour than rational economics.
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What were the different views on consumption mentioned? (evt naar lecture 4)
Adam Smith: “that consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production
Jean-Baptiste Say: saw production as being the real foundation of wealth or value (consumption originates in production)
Keynes: demand creates its own supply. Economic growth can be created best by strengthening incentives for consumption
Modigliani: consumers decisions differ within their life cycles
Galbraith: linked consumption to a historically new phenomenon of an affluent society
Scitovsky: related consumption to human needs
Jean-Baptiste Say: saw production as being the real foundation of wealth or value (consumption originates in production)
Keynes: demand creates its own supply. Economic growth can be created best by strengthening incentives for consumption
Modigliani: consumers decisions differ within their life cycles
Galbraith: linked consumption to a historically new phenomenon of an affluent society
Scitovsky: related consumption to human needs
(Art. 1) ''By analysing the engagement in material culture approach in the sociology of consumption, we have identified a set of themes that further understandings of contemporary childhoods and of processes of consumption.'' What can you tell about what was found?
Engagements with material culture
The relationship between children and things, how children personalize objects, and the work that both they and their parents put into the act of consuming are of particular interest, for it is by engaging in material culture that distinctions between self and object are generated and made meaningful. How children engage with objects is also instructive for revealing how the norms and conventions surrounding material culture are constructed and negotiated between social actants and in terms of how objects script practices during the process of consuming.
The relationship between children and things, how children personalize objects, and the work that both they and their parents put into the act of consuming are of particular interest, for it is by engaging in material culture that distinctions between self and object are generated and made meaningful. How children engage with objects is also instructive for revealing how the norms and conventions surrounding material culture are constructed and negotiated between social actants and in terms of how objects script practices during the process of consuming.
What are the three key approaches in the sociology of consumption?
1. Mode of consumption
2. Lifestyle and identity
3. Engagement in material culture
2. Lifestyle and identity
3. Engagement in material culture
Which domains make consumption preferences change?
Changes in
1. Time
2. History
3. Circumstances
What was according to the article (art. 1) the problem with production of consumption approaches when bringing children (and parents) into the sociology of consumption?
Production of consumption
It focuses on the relationship between the market and children to the neglect of other pertinent social relationships:
- There is a notable lack of interest in the symbolic meanings that people create around the goods and services they consume.
- The research mostly neglects to investigate children themselves. Moreover, they treat children as a homogenous group rather than as diverse in terms of age, abilities, sense of self/agency and knowledge.
- Finally, research is mainly based on older children. Since the consumption of younger children is engaged in by adults.
It focuses on the relationship between the market and children to the neglect of other pertinent social relationships:
- There is a notable lack of interest in the symbolic meanings that people create around the goods and services they consume.
- The research mostly neglects to investigate children themselves. Moreover, they treat children as a homogenous group rather than as diverse in terms of age, abilities, sense of self/agency and knowledge.
- Finally, research is mainly based on older children. Since the consumption of younger children is engaged in by adults.
Why is a life cycle perspective not relevant anymore?
The life cycle perspective focusses on fixed phases, based on biological age. However, it is not about biological age anymore but the life states are of interest nowadays
.
The life course perspective gives room to add phases in life according to life evolution, a more social way. > Like adding emerging adulthood as a phase.
.
The life course perspective gives room to add phases in life according to life evolution, a more social way. > Like adding emerging adulthood as a phase.
How has the role of children changed over the years? And their relationship with parents?
Children have become more priceless and have a more moral value than financial. (financial: economic value, contribution to family income. See picture)
In the changing parent-child relation parents have more space for discussion with and opinions of their children.
In the changing parent-child relation parents have more space for discussion with and opinions of their children.
(Schor:) What is commodification of childhood?
The excessive role of consumption in life of children, in which advertisers focus on showing that products enhance their life. Kids are marketed to, to create brand loyalty from childhood onward.
What is kidfluence? And how does this relate to pester power?
Kidfluence is marketers targeting children in their advertisements. A consequence of this is that children beg their parents for these marketed goods, which is also called pester power.
(Schor:) What are 2 strategies that associate food with toys and fun?
Market tie-ins: a toy to promote unhealthy foods
Trans-toying: giving (unhealthy) food toy-like qualities.
Trans-toying: giving (unhealthy) food toy-like qualities.
How could parents play an important role in economy of dignity?
The way they consume for their children. Im which there are two main 'interventions' parents seem to apply:
In higher classes often symbolic deprivation takes place: limit the consumption of their children, yet largely fulfilling children's requests out of concern for social exclusion.
In lower classes often symbolic indulgence takes place: buy one single large gift that will be meaningful. With no concern about harm of material goods to their children, rather shield them from deprivation they (the parents themselves) may have experienced.
In higher classes often symbolic deprivation takes place: limit the consumption of their children, yet largely fulfilling children's requests out of concern for social exclusion.
In lower classes often symbolic indulgence takes place: buy one single large gift that will be meaningful. With no concern about harm of material goods to their children, rather shield them from deprivation they (the parents themselves) may have experienced.
(Zukin) how could consumption also be positively seen?
It can learn children about money and shape their identity. Practical and moral education.
What are the main aspects of distinctive lifestyles?
Lifestyles signify personal expression and foster individualism, but also represent collective consumption patterns.
What are consumer tribes? And what are the important characteristics?
Distinct form subcultures, since it focuses on the multiplicity of groupings that share consumption practices. One could be in more than one at the same time, like sports team or uni club (membership is fluid, transient, and multiple).
A tribe shapes consumer behaviour, so you DON’T consume and therefore belong to a tribe.
Tribes evolve around activities from pleasure or leisure, with likeminded people.
A tribe shapes consumer behaviour, so you DON’T consume and therefore belong to a tribe.
Tribes evolve around activities from pleasure or leisure, with likeminded people.
What is cool hunting, done by marketeers?
Finding out what is cool to market it to a population. Brands mostly profited from their associations with hip hop music and artists.
What is a possible consumption form for people in adulthood when not getting married or having kids yet?
Experiential consumption. Not getting married or having kids makes adults less financially responsible, which means they have more money for resources like experiences.
What is one of the main focuses for adults?
physical care and personal development. It is a desire to explore before settling into conventional adult roles. (inconspicuous). ‘Self-care gurus’, could be considered a consumer tribe.
Why have purchases for babies become specialized and customized? And how does consumption overall translate into the relation with kids?
Having specialized and save purchases for babies shows others that you are responsible and that you care about your kids. (implying with the social norm of a caring parent)
Consumption also figures in the ritual activities organised by adults for children, like birthdays and family meals.
Consumption also figures in the ritual activities organised by adults for children, like birthdays and family meals.
In adulthood what role does the workplace have in relation to consumption?
Workplace – basic requirements for entry (e.g. attire, transport), numerous consumption events playing a role in upward mobility (e.g. office parties), and daily sociability (e.g. lunch, farewell parties).
Place of social comparison – consumption in line or diverges from peers - evident in dress, cars and verbal comments (Schor, 1998).
Place of social comparison – consumption in line or diverges from peers - evident in dress, cars and verbal comments (Schor, 1998).
Structures are not consciously reproduced in interaction, rather the result of tacitly shared mutual knowledge. This unconscious process of maintaining structures can be overcome by separating the process into two parts, what are these parts?
- What agents intend to achieve in their actions, e.g. Purchase goods, declare love, earn a living, etc.
- Unintended consequences of those actions, e.g. Reproduce market relations, realize their gender and sexuality, reproduce class relations, etc.
- Unintended consequences of those actions, e.g. Reproduce market relations, realize their gender and sexuality, reproduce class relations, etc.
What stage is considered to be that of getting married and having kids? (when we are talking about the life state perspective on consumption)
Socially recognized adulthood.
When we see consumers as active agents: '' consumers will increasingly be able to influence, directly or indirectly, consumption patterns of available products and markets'' (p.13) Which leads (according to Giddens) to a false idea of consumer heroes and consumer dupes. What are these consumer heroes and consumer dupes?
Consumer heroes: free agents, market follows consumer
Consumer dupes: structure over agency, manipulation to consume.
Consumer dupes: structure over agency, manipulation to consume.
When we see consumers as active agents: '' consumers will increasingly be able to influence, directly or indirectly, consumption patterns of available products and markets'' (p.13) Which leads (according to Giddens) to a false idea of consumer heroes and consumer dupes. What are these consumer heroes and consumer dupes?
Consumer heroes: free agents, market follows consumer
Consumer dupes: structure over agency, manipulation to consume.
Consumer dupes: structure over agency, manipulation to consume.
What is the relation between the workplace and consumption for adults?
The workplace influences the idea of what you need to consume as an adult; place of social comparison.
What are reflexive projects of self, as described by Giddens?
The constant production and revising of self-narratives. Self-narratives are the stories that you tell to others, of which consumption choices become a part.
What is focused on in advertising for older adults?
They have time and money to buy, so target for specific product categories.
What is the ‘mode of consumption’?
The way goods are variably used to create distinctions and reinforce social relationships.
How does Bourdieu describe consumption?
Consumption is a process of reproducing dispositions that constitute differential tastes and come forth from behaviour, which is subjectively acceptable in the context of given circumstances.
Bourdieu: ''Consumption is a process of reproducing dispositions that constitute differential tastes and come forth from behaviour, which is subjectively acceptable in the context of given circumstances.'' - What do these circumstances relate to?
1. individual’s material wealth (economic)
2. types of knowledge (cultural)
3. access to networks (social)
>> forms of capital
2. types of knowledge (cultural)
3. access to networks (social)
>> forms of capital
How can Bourdieu's capital influence consumption?
Amounts of capital can constrain action in the form of individual consumption orientations.
What is described with detraditionalization, by Giddens?
In modern society uniform traditions and values do not guide us anymore, restless and loose society in which these are constantly challenged. We are not restricted by class anymore.
How can one describe Bourdieu’s concept of habitus?
It is the way individuals perceive the social world around them and react to it.
What are the 3 main topics that consumption research is concerned with?
1. investigating how individual people, social classes or societies realize consumption practices
2 preference structures of individual actors, households or classes
3 relationship between earnings and spending
2 preference structures of individual actors, households or classes
3 relationship between earnings and spending
Why is habitus both a ‘structured structure’ and a ‘structuring structure’ ?
It is structured since it is the principal mechanism for the division of social groupings according to class-based dispositions.
It is structuring because it organizes agent’s perceptions and practices. >> habitus is the producer and product of division into social classes.
It is structuring because it organizes agent’s perceptions and practices. >> habitus is the producer and product of division into social classes.
How can capital and habitus be of value when discussing children’s consumption?
It is important to consider how capital is transferred between generations, through what processes the habitus becomes internalized and how/from whom/where children learn to consume
.
>> however adult consumption analyses cannot be directly imposed onto children’s consumption.
.
>> however adult consumption analyses cannot be directly imposed onto children’s consumption.
What is meant by the idea of consumers being active agents?
Consumers are increasingly more able to influence consumption decisions and patterns of available products and markets, and therefore shape the market to their needs.
Why are parents the most significant influence on a young child’s consumption orientations?
1 they act as gatekeepers regarding what can be consumed
2 actively engage in cultivating ways of consuming
2 actively engage in cultivating ways of consuming
What uniform point of departure do researches about children’s consumption apparently share? And What are 2 consequences/results of this unacknowledged and (Un)justified focus on the relationship between market and children?
The focus tends to be on the relationship between the market and children, neglecting other pertinent social relationships.
1 lack of interest in the symbolic meanings that people create around the goods and services they consume.
2 children are often treated as a homogenous social group rather than a diverse group in terms of age, abilities, agency, knowledge and experience with consumer culture.
1 lack of interest in the symbolic meanings that people create around the goods and services they consume.
2 children are often treated as a homogenous social group rather than a diverse group in terms of age, abilities, agency, knowledge and experience with consumer culture.
How has the shaping of identity changed?
Identities used to be assigned to individuals or social groups, now individuals have greater capacity to decide who they want to be and what their identity is through appropriating (toe-eigenen) styles of consumption.
What is the role of children in the appropriation of lifestyles for adults?
Children play a significant role in their parents’ reflexive narration of self- identity, and capacity to freely adopt different lifestyles/identities.
Why could family time be seen as a constraint to lifestyle and identity formation?
Generating family time means; reducing the time available to pursue personal lifestyle interests, creating personal schedules that are flexible
How can one’s relation to consumption choices be described if they are a parent?
Conceptualizing the consumer making choices that will affect him/her as an individual becomes more complex > parents are held responsible for their children’s consumption and are ought to make appropriate product choices.
For what does the parent-child relationship cause implications?
For the way adults consume and the degree of autonomy that they have in making consumption choices.
What is the relationship between class and consumption?
Class shapes consumption orientations, while consumption is representative of and reproduces class-based social relations.
How do lifestyles and autonomy relate in a parent-child relationship?
On the one hand, children are not autonomous because adults can control most purchases of goods.
On the other hand, consumption choices do help shape identity and lifestyle which should be an autonomous choice of the children themselves.
On the other hand, consumption choices do help shape identity and lifestyle which should be an autonomous choice of the children themselves.
What can you tell about Modigliani's contribution to the discussion on consumption economics?
- Modigliani's life cycle theory of consumption
--> According to this theory, people have changing rationalities to spend (or save) money depending on their position in their life cycles.
(younger people make different plans and have different consumption plans than older people.)
--> According to this theory, people have changing rationalities to spend (or save) money depending on their position in their life cycles.
(younger people make different plans and have different consumption plans than older people.)
How would Giddens describe self- identity?
Something that has been created routinely and is sustained in the reflexive activities of the individual.
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