Social types according to the style of consumption. Role, style and way of consumption

As a manuscript

Borodulina Svetlana Viktorovna

CONSUMPTION STYLE AS A FACTOR FOR THE FORMATION OF SOCIAL IDENTITY
Specialty 09.00.11 - social philosophy

dissertations for a degree

candidate of philosophical sciences

Barnaul - 2013

The work was carried out at the Department of Empirical Sociology and Conflictology, Altai State University

Scientific adviser: Doctor of Philosophy, Professor

Sytykh Olga Leonidovna

Official opponents: Ushakova Elena Vladimirovna,

Doctor of Philosophy, Professor,

GBOU VPO "Altai State

Medical University" of the Ministry

healthcare of the Russian Federation,

Head of the Department of Philosophy and Bioethics

Glushchenko Natalya Stepanovna,

Candidate of Philosophical Sciences, FGBOU VPO

"Altai State Pedagogical

Academy", Associate Professor of the Department of Philosophy

and cultural studies

Lead organization: FGBOU VPO « Altai State

technical university. I.I. Polzunov"

The defense will take place on December 26, 2013 at 4:30 pm at a meeting of the dissertation council D 212.005.02 at FSBEI HPE "Altai State University" at the address: 656049 Barnaul, Lenin Ave., 61.

The dissertation can be found in the scientific library of FSBEI HPE "Altai State University".
The abstract was sent out November 26, 2013.

Scientific Secretary

dissertation council

candidate of sociological sciences,

associate professor N.A. Sterlyadeva

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF WORK
The relevance of research. Human identity in the globalizing world becomes "a prism through which many important features of modern life are considered, evaluated and studied" 1 . For example, in the theory of M. Castells 2 globalization and identity come into conflict with each other: the forces that shape the conditions in which we have to confront certain problems are beyond the reach of any institutions. “In other words,” Z. Bauman concludes, “the problem is not so much how to acquire the chosen identity and force others to recognize it, but how to choose which identity to choose and how to be able to make another choice in time if the previously chosen identity loses its value or will lose its seductive features.

In various historical periods, the problem of social identity permeated public life and had its own peculiarities. Currently, there is a crisis of social identity due to the fact that social changes caused by modernization and globalization have led to the loss of established norms, values, rules of conduct, through which a person defines himself, his place in society. In this regard, the individual needs to develop his own grounds for making a choice and designing a life strategy as a whole.

The period of the second half of the 20th - early 21st century was marked by the emergence and rapid development of a consumer society, the formation of which determined the ability of an individual to construct and reconstruct his social identity using various mechanisms and factors, including through consumption processes, material and spiritual. Consumer goods are found in almost all spheres of public life, which allows us to talk about a change in the nature of social identity under the influence of consumption style.

It can be concluded that an individual constructs his identity in different ways, among which an important place is occupied by the choice of goods and services - consumption. At the same time, the style of consumption reflects the basic, essential social forms and ways of connecting an individual with society, determines the nature of the relationship between personal and public interests, needs, goals. The socio-philosophical study of the style of consumption as a factor in the formation of social identity seems to be of fundamental importance for the study of the integrity of the individual (its self-development and self-preservation) in the crisis socio-cultural space of modern Russia.

The degree of scientific development of the problem. Questions of the theory of identity, consumption, style, social stratification, social transformation and the results of their interaction are the subject of a huge array of scientific works in various branches of the humanities (philosophy, political science, sociology, ethnology, anthropology, etc.). It should be noted that the phenomena listed above continue to enjoy increased attention from representatives of the domestic and Western scientific community. Constant discussions around the problems of the search for identity by a modern Russian person, the mechanisms and methods of its formation, the processes of group differentiation mediated by social identification, the rethinking of social identity as a "multipolar universe of interactive networks", etc. , are a kind of illustration of the complexity and multidimensionality of these problems.

The concept of "identity" developed in line with such areas as psychoanalysis (Z. Freud, K. Horney, E. Erickson), symbolic interactionism (E. Hoffmann, D. Mead), etc. Western theories that have their own ideas contribute to a deep understanding of the problem of identity. traditions of its interpretation (Z. Bauman, P. Berger, E. Giddens, T. Lukman, T. Parsons, J. Habermas, S. Huntington, W. Hesle, etc.).

Within the framework of the structural-constructivist approach, the dissertation examines the main prerequisites, factors and mechanisms for the formation of social identity.

The main prerequisites for development include: systemic and structural transformation of society; the emergence of new technologies and increased mobility; the conflict between the growing achievement orientations of a person and habitual values, and legal imperatives; identity crisis associated with modernization and globalization, etc. Factors in the formation of social identity include: the social status of an individual, belonging to a certain social stratum, social mobility, information technology and consumption style, etc.

Among the tools for the formation of many identities, consumption occupies a prominent place. Its essence is manifested in the forms created through the acquisition of goods and services. The individual moves from position to position, changing behavior, appearance. He strives to be adequate in relation to the situations that arise on his way, performing a certain role so as not to become the subject of ridicule, not to create conflicts, not to stand out from the main mass.

Thus, the specificity of social identity is manifested through prerequisites and factors.

The key stage in the formation of social identity is the self-determination of a person in the social environment or social identification - the process of internalization by an individual of values, interests, goals, attitudes of a particular social group and awareness of himself belonging to it. In other words, social identification is a process of social construction.

The most influential identification factors (methods of imitation, generalization, observation, modeling) in modern society are mass media and various information technologies, as well as consumption style. It is they who largely determine the specifics of modern identity: multiplicity, variability, the possibility of forming several pseudo-identities at the same time.

The loss of positive certainty of group membership leads to a crisis of social identity. However, in order to replace the old identity with a new one, an individual must engage in new social relations that entail a revision of the system of goals and values, and accept new social and role characteristics, which can lead to a change in life strategy as a whole.

In paragraph 1.3 « Formation of social identity in the conditions of stylization of public life” the influence of the conditions of stylization of public life on the formation of social identity is revealed.

This paragraph considers the stylization of the socio-cultural space, which is due to a change in the functioning of the subsystems of society and a change in the phenomena of culture and cultural and educational capital. As a result, needs were transformed, new patterns were formed, and new sociocultural forms of identification emerged. An individual or a group has the right to determine what is included and what is not included in their sociocultural space.

The lifestyle of an individual is formed in the context of the system of values and the event plan of life under the influence of objective circumstances, acting as an attribute and a way of interacting with the world. Life style is manifested in the context of differences between groups in patterns of social relations and in the consumption of material goods.

The individual as a bearer of style embodies it in communication and creativity, which are represented in the features of culture and are its reflection.

The post-Soviet space is characterized by the traditions of monostylistic culture. The stylization of social life contributes to the blurring of the boundaries of style, suggesting stylistic expressiveness.

In the second chapter of the dissertation research "The influence of consumption style on the formation of social identity: essence and main directions" the features of the style of consumption are revealed and the specificity of its influence on the development of social identity in modern society is determined.

In paragraph 2.1 « Consumption as a characteristic feature of modern society" the analysis of the category of consumption at three levels is given: micro-level, meso-level and macro-level, 1 - and also reveals the main features of the consumer society. The author's interpretation of social identity from the standpoint of the phenomenon of consumption is given.

At the micro level, the philosophical analysis of consumption is built in the plane of an atomic consumer act, the philosophical content of a thing - a consumer object, as well as the consumer's philosophical dispositions are studied.

At the meso level, it is supposed to consider the relationship between the consumer and the thing, the consumer and society through the analysis of organized consumer practices.

Some researchers rightly characterize modern consumption as overconsumption or overconsumption, which is seen as consumer behavior that exceeds normal needs and thus harmful to the person himself, not to mention a sharp decrease in the value of what is consumed.

Such consumption constitutes the process of cognition, that is, behind each thing there is something more important than its functional purpose, and consumption is the process of cognition of such entities. In the process of consumption, such relations with the world arise that take consumption beyond the framework of the physiological process of restoring physical and spiritual forces to the level of their qualitative transformation and improvement.

The macro level involves the consideration of consumption as a category of consumer consciousness and the consumer phase of the development of society, the study of institutions and global consumer processes (consumption as a categorization and conceptualization of the world).

The prerequisites for the formation of a consumer society is the spread of personal freedoms, private enterprise and free competition, that is, the development of a market society along the trajectory of Western Europe.

The paragraph considers the main features of the consumer society. The specificity of the consumer society is determined by the totality of social relations in which the key place is occupied by individual consumption mediated by the market. From this arises a new attitude towards "human resources". “The way in which today's society “forms” its members,” writes Z. Bauman, “dictates, first of all, the obligation to play the role of consumers” 1 .

Postmodernism as a whole is characterized by the understanding of consumption not as an instrumental, utilitarian activity, but as a process of symbol production. The postmodern society is, in essence, a consumer society, since the economy, culture, and personal life revolve around it. At the same time, the focus of consumption is increasingly shifting towards the individual, who consumes in order to construct his social identity. In such a society, consumption ceases to be a consequence of the struggle for physical survival and turns into a tool for socio-cultural integration into society.

In this way, all consumption is conspicuous, which means that tool for expressing difference. A lifestyle built on a particular style of consumption acts as a "text", reading which, others recognize the social status of the individual, his tastes and value orientations. The use of certain goods and services in the conditions of a consumer society is intended not so much to satisfy the needs by themselves, but to contribute to the production of symbols of social difference, that is, it is of a sign-symbolic nature. The individual is no longer interested in the use value of a product, which expresses its functional utility, but in what this product symbolizes (wealth, prestige, belonging to a community, etc.). Thus, the style of life and consumption are, on the one hand, a way of social identification of an individual, a way of constructing his social identity, and on the other hand, a stratification sign, since it strongly depends on the social position of the individual and is a characteristic of his social status.

In paragraph 2.2 "The influence of consumption style on the social characteristics of the individual" the mechanism of formation of social identity under the influence of consumption style through the social characteristics of the individual is revealed.

In modern society, the style of consumption greatly facilitates the construction of one's own identity. An individual, constructing his image in the process of consumption, is relieved of the need to understand the meanings that each detail of his clothes carries, the manner of eating food, the material environment he creates - he simply chooses a style of consumption that is closer to his taste, available within his lifestyle, in which manifests his inner world: value orientations, learned norms, individual ideas, goals, projects, etc.

In the diversity of consumer behavior, there are various consumer types that have a high level of specificity and relevance for modern society: authentic consumption, impulsive consumption, addictive consumption, stimulus consumption, system-style consumption 1, etc.

Thus, the essential relationship between the style of consumption and social identity is shown through the socially significant characteristics of the individual.

The high-tech economic sphere (social production) of industrialized countries stimulates and intensifies consumption, forming a specific social structure in which a significant part of the population has comfortable leisure time and the opportunity to individualize themselves by acquiring more and more new goods and services. On this basis, special styles of life and consumption are formed. The social status of an individual is still determined primarily by the social division of labor and participation in social production, but it finds its expression in a particular lifestyle and consumption. Both social status and style of life and consumption are verifiable, empirically established phenomena, different facets of social existence, which must somehow be reflected in the public consciousness. One of these forms of social consciousness (along with ideology, social mythology, etc.) is social identity - an integral set of ideas of an individual about his position in society, practically inseparable from ideas about himself. The connection of social status and lifestyle and consumption - two sides of social life - with social identity is mediated by the category of "social role".

In paragraph 2.3 "Consumption style as a stratification feature" reveals the role of consumption style as a stratification feature in modern society.

The concept of stratification characterizes the position of individuals and groups on the scale of hierarchical statuses in the economic, political, social and cultural fields. The phenomenon under consideration is established as a consequence of two processes: associations and distinctions. To locate an individual in social space means to define an ensemble of actors occupying similar positions in social space, and at the same time to separate it from other agents. Combining and distinguishing is possible on the basis of some criterion (for example, consumption style), which affects both social mobility and stratification.

As noted by L.G. Ionin, the pluralization of life styles is currently arising due to the greater freedom of individuals and the emergence of their ability to design their own lives. The scientist writes about “a sharp, even spasmodic increase in the number of the most diverse, absolutely not reducible to class, class or stratum definitions of life forms and styles, which have an exclusively cultural origin. All these styles that emerged in Russia do not correspond directly with the categories of demographic, occupational or economic structure, either Soviet or current capitalist” 1 .

The current situation associated with a change in the functioning of the subsystems of society has led to a stylistic diversity of life. Needs have changed, new patterns have been formed, and new sociocultural forms of identification have emerged, such as consumption style.

Thus, it should be noted that at present, understanding the processes of stratification is associated with differences in the principles of stratification. In this approach, the source of differences is the operation of market mechanisms, and life opportunities are added up as a cumulative result of the activity of individuals, so chances are distributed unevenly between individuals and groups.

At the same time, consumption becomes a tool for expressing differences at the individual level, fixed in such a concept as a unique style of consumption (although, of course, it carries the features of consumption at the group and class levels). Style, in turn, acts as a "visiting card" of a person. In this regard, the personality itself can follow its own consumption strategy, expressed in an individual style. Each consumer is the creator of his social identity. He can both declare his attitude to certain social groups and statuses through consumed things, and build his own set of consumer practices and a world of identities. The style of consumption can act as a symbol, i.e. a consciously constructed sign that allows you to emphasize your belonging to a group, community, thereby drawing a line between “us” and “them”. At the same time, tension or alienation often hidden from the eyes manifests itself in the style of consumption.

In paragraph 2.4 "Formation of Social Identity in the Space of Consumption Styles of Modern Russia" is revealed on the example of comparing two time periods of the Soviet and post-Soviet.

The dissertation notes that the transformation of socio-economic and socio-cultural relations, typical for a state that has made the transition from a “communist” to a capitalist system 1 , as well as under the influence of globalization factors and the formation of the information society, has led to a radical change in all systems of government that have influenced on the systemic transformation of Russia's identification space. According to V.A. Yadov, “at the moment there is a breakdown of social identifications of huge masses of people” 2 , there is an increase in the number of forms and types of social identity, and forms of social identification are often conflicting, especially if economic contradictions are supplemented and amplified by cultural ones.

In modern society, there is a lack of communication between the two spheres: production and consumption. Mass production is concentrated in the technogenic points of the planet, as a result of which certain styles of consumption are imposed on society, under the influence of which social identities are formed. Most of the sociocultural fields of modern Western countries are characterized by two distinctive features: 1) high quality of life, opening up a fairly wide scope for consumer choice; 2) consumer culture with a high degree of tolerance to various kinds of innovations and deviations. These features lead to a pluralization of lifestyles and consumption. Russia is in an intermediate position in this respect.

On the one hand, the broad masses live in conditions of rigid sociocultural fields, characterized by a very limited amount of available economic resources and relatively conservative subcultural programs. On the other hand, a significant minority of the population in large and medium-sized cities lives in subcultural fields that have many characteristics similar to similar group fields in Western countries, which brings Russia closer to them. There are also quite extensive economic resources and a subcultural atmosphere, characterized by tolerance for novelty, for various manifestations of individuality. In modern conditions of a consumer society, an increasingly important role is played by the style of life and consumption chosen by the individual as a sign of a particular social identity.

Thus, the considered two types of social identity (Soviet and post-Soviet) allow us to assert that consumption is a source of gaining and maintaining the integrity of the individual, and the style of consumption is a factor in the formation of social identity in the crisis socio-cultural space of modern society.

The main provisions of the dissertation are reflected in the following publications:
Articles in publications recommended by HAC
1. Borodulina, S.V. Consumption and identity (a review of theoretical approaches to the relationship of phenomena) / S.V. Borodulina // Proceedings of the Altai State University. - 2013. –No. 2/1(78). – S. 247–250 (0.4 p. l.).

2. Borodulina, S.V. Social identity in the post-Soviet space / S.V. Borodulina // World of science, culture, education. – 2013. – №4(41). –S. 374–376 (0.34 p. l.).

3. Borodulina, S.V. Basic approaches to the study of the concept of social identity: socio-philosophical analysis / S.V. Borodulina // In the world of scientific discoveries. Krasnoyarsk: Scientific and Innovation Center, 2013. - No. 9 (45). - (in print 0.5 p. l.).
Articles and abstracts
4. Borodulina, S.V. Relationship between consumption styles and social identity / S.V. Borodulina // Proceedings of young scientists of the Altai State University: materials of the XXXVIII scientific conference of students, undergraduates, graduate students and students of lyceum classes / under. total ed. NOT. Shilkina. - Issue. 16. - Barnaul: Alt. un-ta, 2011. - S. 31-33. (0.2 p. l.)

5. Borodulina, S.V. From consumption style to social identity / S.V. Borodulina // Social well-being and security of the population: a collection of scientific articles / ed. ed. HE. Kolesnikova. - Barnaul: AZBUKA Publishing House, 2011. - S. 219–222. (0.2 p. l.)

6. Borodulina, S.V. Health in the structure of social identity of society / S.V. Borodulina // Proceedings of young scientists of the Altai State University: materials of the XXXVIX scientific conference of students, undergraduates, graduate students and students of lyceum classes / under. total ed. NOT. Shilkina. - Issue. 17. - Barnaul: Alt. un-ta, 2012. - S. 15-18. (0.2 p. l.)

7. Borodulina, S.V. Consumption style as a stratification feature / S.V. Borodulina // Sociology in the modern world: science, education, creativity: collection of articles / ed. HE. Kolesnikova, E.A. Popov. - Issue. 5. - Barnaul: Alt. un-ta, 2013. - S. 132-134. (0.2 p. l.)

8. Borodulina, S.V. Social identity in the context of consumption / S.V. Borodulina // Topical issues of modern science: materials of the XX International scientific and practical conference. - Moscow: Sputnik + Publishing House, 2013. - P. 173–176. (0.2 p. l.)

9. Borodulina, S.V. The problem of social identity in a globalizing world / S.V. Borodulina // Scientific dialogue "Skhid-Zakhid": All-Ukrainian scientific-practical conference in international. I will participate. (m. Kam'yanets-Podilsky, 10 lime 2013): at 4 parts. - Dnipropetrovsk: TOV "Innovation", 2013. - Part 1. - P. 16–19. (0.2 p. l.)

10. Borodulina, S.V. Social identity: essence, formation, functions / S.V. Borodulina // Intellectual potential of Russian scientists: Sat. scientific Proceedings of the Siberian Institute of Knowledge / otv. ed. E.V. Ushakova, Yu.I. Kolyuzhov. - Issue. XIII. – Barnaul: IP Kolmogorov I.A., 2013. – P. 184–188. (0.2 p. l.)

11. Borodulina, S.V. Economic identity of a person as an integral part of social identity / S.V. Borodulina // IX Autumn conference of young scientists in the Novosibirsk Academgorodok: topical issues of economics and sociology. - Novosibirsk: Publishing House "Price Courier", 2013. - P. 114–116. (0.1 p. l.)

1Bauman Z. Individualized society. M., 2002. S. 176.

2Anokhin A.M. Social adaptation and the problem of identity in a globalized world // Society. Wednesday. Development (Terra Humana). 2007. No. 4. S. 58-68.

1Ovrutsky A.V. Social philosophy of consumption: methodological and theoretical aspects. Rostov n/D, 2010. S. 39-40.

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The problem of the image and style of life appears already in classical sociology. K. Marx clearly emphasized that the forms of life are determined by the dominant mode of production, that is, he was talking only about the way of life. M. Weber introduces the concept of "lifestyle", emphasizing at the same time that it is based on the "class situation", that is, the position in the market. However, he noted that the class (market) situation is only the initial condition for the formation of a lifestyle that does not guarantee against deviations. On the whole, he connected the style of life primarily with status groups. T. Veblen focused on how wealth turns into visible, demonstrated symbols of economic success. He called this process the concept of "conspicuous consumption".

Lifestyle covers all aspects of human social life. Its core is labor, means of obtaining a livelihood. However, one of its sides is the image of consumption, that is, the totality of forms of consumer behavior imposed by the social field. A way of life and consumption is a necessity, one can jump out of it only by leaving the field that gave rise to the corresponding forms of life activity. The sociocultural field imposes an adequate image of consumption in several areas:

§ Resources (primarily economic) are unevenly distributed among the fields and determine the limits of consumption. The field is a space of limited possibilities. Different fields - different possibilities. One of the manifestations of the field's coercive power in relation to the consumption of goods and services by individuals within its limits is effective demand. Different income strata, professional groups, classes, etc. socio-economic communities differ in their consumer behavior, primarily in different effective demand.

§ Life program. Every sociocultural field has prescribed consumption programs (values, norms). They impose restrictions on choice, prohibitions on individuals. Violations of the established cultural boundaries lead to the stigmatization of the individual as "uncivilized", "strange", "wild", etc., which is fraught with his exclusion from this group. In some fields the program is tough, in others it is soft and tolerant. The differences between them come down mainly to the unambiguity of cultural programs and the severity of sanctions for their violation.

§ Language of consumption, that is, a set of rules for interpreting consumer practices. One and the same consumer act in different fields is interpreted in different ways, acting, for example, as a symbol of belonging to “ours” or “them”, to “cultural” or “uncivilized”, “having taste” and “devoid of it”. The image of consumption as a set of observable and interpreted forms of consumer behavior has a symbolic character. In other words, according to these features, people around read the text that characterizes the social identity of an individual or group. Numerous external manifestations of the consumption pattern are "slips of the tongue" that slip or shout loudly about the social position of the individual, regardless of his intentions.

Lifestyles are stable forms of individual behavior that are the result of free personal choice within the limits imposed by the field. This is a way for the individual to realize social opportunities. Anufrieva R. A. et al. Life style of the individual: theoretical and methodological problems. Kyiv, 1982, p. 62. The core of lifestyle is the style of consumption. It is specific and tied to a specific object: an object, a service (the style of consumption of a car, clothes, alcohol, etc.). The style of consumption is the sustainable forms of using certain goods, freely chosen by the individual within the framework imposed by the way of life. For example, within the same income and the same subculture, it is often possible to choose different food options, different styles of clothing, show different tastes in music, leisure, and so on. The “molecule” of lifestyle is the social role, i.e. free choice of the behavior model available in a given situation. In our lives, even within one day, we change role after role, carefully or automatically choosing breakfast models, morning hygiene procedures, moving to our workplace, lunch, etc. Social roles tied to a specific situation merge into the style of consumption of a particular product or service, and he - into a lifestyle.

Table 1. Comparative characteristics of the image and style of consumption. Ilyin VI Course of lectures "Sociology of consumption" Electronic resource]. - . - Access mode: http://www.consumers.narod.ru/content.html

Comparison criterion	Consumption pattern	Consumption style
Degree of freedom in choosing a pattern of behavior	Restriction of choice, coercion to choose.	Free choice.
Conditionality of the choice of behavior pattern	Determinacy by the characteristics of the field	Choice among available styles based on individual inclinations
The degree of attachment to a place in the system of social production	Rigid binding to a place in the system of social production (class, professional affiliation)	Relative autonomy in relation to the place in the system of social production
Exposure to change	stability, tradition	Variability, mobility
Character	iconic character	symbolic character.
domination	The dominant form of differentiation in the industrial	One of the key forms of differentiation in the post-industrial
Exposure to experiments	Closed for experiments	Open for experimentation

A lifestyle is most often formed within a single lifestyle. This is especially true for societies with limited resources and rigid cultural programs. But in modern rich societies, there are more and more often styles of life that are interclass, interethnic in nature, that is, they develop within different ways of life. For example, people of different class affiliation can lead a sports lifestyle, although sub-styles associated with a particular sport develop within the style, which clearly gravitate towards certain classes. Alpine skiing can be practiced by buying expensive equipment and going only to expensive mountain resorts in Switzerland and Austria, but the same can be done in a simple tracksuit bought at the local market, skiing from neighboring hills.

The identity of a person unfolds in the roles he chooses, which add up to the image and style of life. The situational “I” manifests itself in the role, and in a series of situations, the lifestyle as a characteristic of the relatively stable, repetitive properties of the individual. The image and style of life are relatively stable forms of life, characteristic of large or small groups of people. At the same time, these forms have the character of a text. Using them, on the one hand, people interpret the behavior of others, their place in society, character traits, etc., and on the other hand, they are a means of creating a text about themselves, conveying to others the answer to the question “Who are you?”.

The problem of the image and style of life appears already in classical sociology. K. Marx clearly emphasized that the forms of life are determined by the dominant mode of production, that is, he was talking only about the way of life. M. Weber introduces the concept of "lifestyle", emphasizing at the same time that it is based on the "class situation", that is, the position in the market. However, he noted that the class (market) situation is only the initial condition for the formation of a lifestyle, which does not guarantee against deviations. On the whole, he connected the style of life primarily with status groups. T. Veblen focused on how wealth turns into visible, demonstrated symbols of economic success. He called this process the concept of "conspicuous consumption".

The lifestyle category reflects the power nature of the sociocultural field. Lifestyle - these are typical forms of human life, imposed by the field. Another definition can be given: a way of life is a social structure as a set of necessary, typical individual practices. Since one field includes many people, the forms of behavior imposed on them, prescribed by them, are of a typical nature. For example, all people living in a village live according to the limitations and opportunities provided by the environment. With all the desire, it is impossible to repeat in the countryside all the features of city life in Moscow.

Lifestyle covers all aspects of human social life. Its core is labor, means of obtaining a livelihood. However, one of its sides is consumption pattern , that is, a set of forms of consumer behavior imposed by the social field. The way of life and consumption is a necessity, which can be jumped out of only by leaving the field that gave rise to the corresponding forms of life activity. The sociocultural field imposes an adequate image of consumption in several areas:

Resources (primarily economic) are unevenly distributed among the fields and determine the limits of consumption. The field is a space of limited possibilities. Different fields, different possibilities. One of the manifestations of the field's coercive power in relation to the consumption of goods and services by individuals within its limits is effective demand. Different income strata, professional groups, classes, etc. socio-economic communities differ in their consumer behavior, primarily in different effective demand. It is impossible to consume for an amount significantly exceeding the available monetary resources. A loan is an exception to this rule, since its amount and terms are usually linked to the level of income and the available property used as collateral. An important characteristic of resources is the state of supply of goods on the market (compare, for example, Moscow and a remote village). The volume and nature of market resources are predetermined by the state of production. It is impossible not only to consume, but also to consciously desire what is not yet in nature. Supply as a resource creates demand.
Life program . Every sociocultural field has prescribed consumption programs (values, norms). They impose restrictions on choice, prohibitions on individuals. Violations of the established cultural boundaries lead to the stigmatization of the individual as "uncivilized", "strange", "wild", etc., which is fraught with his exclusion from this group. In some fields the program is tough, in others it is soft and tolerant. The differences between them come down mainly to the unambiguity of cultural programs and the severity of sanctions for their violation. So, there are families, territorial communities, etc., where people can afford to dress, make up, eat differently “as is customary”, they can be condemned, they can be ironic, but in principle this is not dangerous. There are fields (societies, localities, families) where deviation from the norms shared by powerful subjects (parents, church or authorities) is fraught with severe punishment. Even in relatively liberal societies, there are goods and services that are contrary to the cultural program (drugs, for example). Their consumption is fraught with serious negative consequences for the status.
Consumption language , that is, a set of rules for interpreting consumer practices. The same consumer act in different fields is interpreted (read) in different ways, acting, for example, as a symbol of belonging to “us” or “them”, to “cultural” or “uncivilized”, “having a taste” and “devoid of it”. ". The image of consumption as a set of observable and interpreted forms of consumer behavior has a symbolic character. In other words, according to these features, people around read the text that characterizes the social identity of an individual or group. Numerous outward manifestations of consumption patterns are "slips of the tongue" that slip through or scream loudly about the social position of the individual, regardless of his intentions.

The image of consumption imposes a sociocultural identity on individuals. For example, poverty manifests itself in a mass of details of consumer behavior that an individual would often like to hide, but are unable to do so. Just as it is difficult for a fool to pretend to be smart, so it is difficult for a poor person to pretend to be rich.

Life style- these are stable forms of individual behavior that are the result of free personal choice within the limits imposed by the field. This is “a way for the individual to realize social opportunities” (Anufrieva 1982: 62). The core of lifestyle is consumption style. It is specific and tied to a specific object: an object, a service (the style of consumption of a car, clothing, alcohol, etc.). Consumption style - these are stable forms of using certain benefits, freely chosen by the individual within the framework imposed by the way of life. For example, within the same income and the same subculture, it is often possible to choose different food options, different styles of clothing, show different tastes in music, leisure, and so on. The lifestyle molecule is social role , i.e. free choice of the behavior model available in a given situation. In our lives, even within one day, we change role after role, carefully or automatically choosing models of breakfast, morning hygiene procedures, moving to our workplace, lunch, etc. etc. Social roles tied to a specific situation merge into the style of consumption of a particular product or service, and it into a lifestyle.

Style is a typical choice within the realm of possibility. If the way of life reflects the structural restrictions imposed on the individual and characterizes the sphere of lack of freedom, then the style of life, on the contrary, reflects the freedom of choice. Freedom and necessity, style and way of life are two sides of the same coin: any freedom of choice has limits, and in the most hopeless situation there are options available.

Table: Image and style of consumption

Consumption pattern	Consumption style
Restriction of choice, coercion to choose.	Free choice.
Determinacy by the characteristics of the field	Choice among available styles based on individual inclinations
Rigid binding to a place in the system of social production (class, professional affiliation)	Relative autonomy in relation to the place in the system of social production
stability, tradition	Variability, mobility
iconic character	symbolic character.
The dominant form of differentiation in the industrial	One of the key forms of differentiation in the post-industrial
Closed for experiments	Open for experimentation

A lifestyle is most often formed within a single lifestyle. This is especially true for societies with limited resources and rigid cultural programs. But in modern rich societies, there are more and more often styles of life that are interclass, interethnic in nature, that is, they develop within different ways of life. For example, people of different class affiliation can lead a sports lifestyle, although sub-styles associated with a particular sport develop within the style, which clearly gravitate towards certain classes. Alpine skiing can be practiced by buying expensive equipment and going only to expensive mountain resorts in Switzerland and Austria, but you can also do it in a simple tracksuit bought at the local market, riding from neighboring hills.

Consumption style circles.

The consumption style space is heterogeneous. It can be analyzed using the category of the discursive field. In the center, as the core, there are the most radical and complete followers of the style, reproducing it in its entirety, sometimes ready for fanatical self-sacrifice for its sake. Further, in divergent circles, there are groups that follow an already significantly “edited” style, adapted to personal characteristics, inclinations. On the periphery of this stylistic space are those who borrow only individual, usually external, secondary symbols of style. The periphery is characterized by compromises: there is often a mixture and alternation of styles. As a rule, the periphery is much larger than the nucleus.

For example, there is a street style of life and consumption (“hip-hop”), which is based on roller skating (often in extreme mode), break dancing and clothes adapted for this lifestyle: wide trousers with many pockets, hoodies , heavy boots. People who follow all these basic symbols of style are its core. Often these are fans who spend most of their time and financial resources on maintaining this style. On the periphery of the style zone are people who wear some elements of clothing.

The core of the subculture of fans of martial arts is made up of people who practice the corresponding sports, who are familiar with at least the basics of the relevant ethics and philosophy, for whom karate or kung fu is not just a sport, but a lifestyle. On the periphery of this style zone, there are a lot of people who attend sports classes for a fee, in which they usually pay only for the sports part of the subculture.

club consumption.

The club is an example of a developed style field (in this case, we are not talking about the mass of bars renamed into nightclubs). The club brings together people who have common needs in the sphere of consumption. Its goal is the collective satisfaction of these needs. And, as a rule, it unites people of the same class position.

A club is a field based on a common social position and lifestyle (i.e. shared values). This is where "their own" gather. Clubs are usually closed from strangers. Their closeness gives them an additional use value: it is leisure "not for all", "there is no one there" etc. Filters are used for closing: 1) entrance fees; 2) recommendations of members of the club for candidates to join it; 3) formal requirements for the candidate's social status.

Through entrance fees, lifestyle requirements, clothing, etc. cut off those who have insufficient resources. However, a successful bandit and the director of an enterprise may have the same income, which does not yet form their desire to spend part of their free time together. And such a social field is additionally closed with the help of a system of several recommendations. If with the help of money the closure occurs within the lifestyle, then with the help of recommendations it closes in the sphere of lifestyles.

Among the needs met through club consumption, a special, if not central place is occupied by the need to communicate with people close in social status and especially in value orientations. People have lunch together, listen to music, swim or play golf together. However, this consumption is only an excuse, a pretext for realizing the main goal - communication with significant “friends”.

Clubs play an important role in the formation of social networks that play an important role beyond consumption. In clubs, its members meet useful people, gaining access to new social networks rich in various social resources. One of the functions of the club is the construction of identity. In many cases, the definition of "he is a member of the X club" sounds like he is an "award winner". No need to tell who you are and what you have achieved. Just say which club you are a member of.

Club organization of socio-cultural fields, characteristic of classes and strata that have economic, social and cultural resources that are significantly higher than average. Initially, clubs arose among the aristocracy. Then this form of organizing the consumption of communication was borrowed by the bourgeoisie, then by the middle classes. Great Britain became a pioneer in the development of club forms of organization. From there, this tradition was borrowed in the United States. In varying degrees, clubs have spread in other countries of the world.

See also on this topic in the "Anthology":

Bibliography on the theme "Image and style of consumption".

Anufrieva R. A. et al. Life style of the individual: theoretical and methodological problems. Kyiv, 1982.
Gunther B. and A. Furnham. Types of consumers. Introduction to psychographics. St. Petersburg: Peter, 2001.
Goshchilo E., Azhgikhina N. Birth of the “new Russians”: pictures from an exhibition // About masculinity. Collection of articles / Compiled by S.Ushakin. M .: New Literary Review, 2002. S. 504 - 531.
Dorfman L. Ya., Druzhinin V. N., Korostelina K. Human style: psychological analysis. M., 1998.
Ionin L.G. Sociology of culture. M.: Logos, 2000.
Lifestyle: Concept, reality, problems. / Ed. Tolstykh V.I.M., 1975.
Ozhegov S.I. Dictionary of the Russian language. M.: Russian language, 1982.
Serebrennikova A. Attitude to health as a factor of population differentiation // New needs and new risks: the reality of the 90s / Responsible. Ed. I.I. Travin. St. Petersburg: Norma, 2001.
Sokhan L. V. et al. Way of life: Theoretical and methodological problems of socio-psychological research. Kyiv, 1980.
Yadov V. A. Life style as a socio-psychological characteristic // Socio-psychological problems in a developed socialist society. M., 1977. S. 18-28.
Chaney D. Lifestyles. London and new York: Routledge, 1996.
Douglas M. Thought styles. Critical Essays on Good Taste. London: Sage, 1996.
Gunter B. & A. Furnham. consumer profiles. An Introduction to Psychographics. London & N.Y.: Routledge, 1992.
Harre R. Social Construction of Emotions // R. Harre & R. F. Jones (Eds). The Social Construction of Emotions. Oxford: Blackwell, 1986.
Hebdige D. Subculture: The Meaning of Style. London: Methuen, 1979.
Sobel M.E. Lifestyle and Social Structure. Concepts, Definitions, Analyzes. New York et al.: Academic Press.
Zablocki B.D. and Kanter R.M. The differentiation of life-styles // Annual Review of Sociology. 1976. N2.P.269-298.

“A way of life is usually associated with a more or less stable community. It manifests itself in such characteristics as common norms, rituals, forms of social order and, probably, a special dialect or speech. Therefore, the way of life is close to the definition given by Williams to culture as a form of life”… The way of life is based on “such sociostructural forms as profession, gender, ethnicity and age” (Channey 1996: 92-93).

The Dictionary of the Russian Language (Ozhegov 1982: 682 – 683) defines this concept as follows: Style “1. A characteristic appearance, a kind of something, expressed in some kind of. special features, properties of artistic design ... ".

"Style, - according to L. Ionin (2000: 195), - exists only where there is a choice, and tradition - where the possibility of choice is not realized."

See also Reader on this topic: Some Postmodern Reflections on Global Advertising.

Family and consumption.

Key Concepts

A family. The household. Nuclear family. Extended family. Distribution of roles in the family. Power. Strategy for influencing decision-making in the family. consumer socialization. Family division of labor. Animals in the family.

Family and household.

The household. The US Census Bureau defines a housing unit as housing that has a separate exterior or interior entrance and basic amenities. If people live in this housing unit, then they are called a household. Each household has a tenant (we have a responsible tenant), which refers to the person who owns or rents the property.

Households are divided into two types:

Non-family households include people who live together but are not related. These are residents of one room in a student dormitory or cohabiting couples. Singles are of the same type.
The family has at least two members - the responsible tenant and at least one other member who is related or married to him, or related through adoption or adoption. In the US, about 70 percent Households are families.

A family appears in two forms. On the one hand, it is a social institution; a set of norms, values, expectations regarding how people who have created a family should live, treat each other. This is a normative mechanism that regulates the behavior of people who call themselves family. The role of this mechanism depends on the identity of people. If a couple lives together but does not define itself as a family, then it may ignore the requirements included in the family as a social institution ( “I am not a husband (not a wife), so I do not have to do this”).

On the other hand, it is a small social group whose members are connected by marriage and family ties. The family is usually based on the household. It performs a number of functions of an economic unit:

Its members cooperate in their efforts in obtaining and accumulating income. They receive income from the sale of their labor force or their own business, bring them to the family's consolidated budget. Part of the budget goes to current consumption, and part goes to savings.
Members of the household, on one scale or another, organize their own (usually natural) production, the products of which are intended for intra-family consumption. In a minimal form, such production is represented by cooking, cleaning rooms, repairing an apartment, clothes, etc. In the middle form, the family is engaged in the production of agricultural products for their own consumption on their personal plot or at the dacha. The same type of natural production includes knitting, sewing clothes, etc. In its maximum form, the family acts as a small firm supplying goods and services to the market. This can be either a farm, or the joint work of several family members in the field of craft or trade.
The household acts as a center for purchasing and consuming purchased goods and services. Consumption here is largely collective. First, it is financed from the general collective budget. Secondly, many goods and services are consumed together here (apartment, utilities, car, furniture, the bulk of home electronics, books, food, sometimes some clothes, etc.), which provides more or less significant cost savings and makes family consumption is more cost-effective than individual consumption.
The family is the initial and key link in the system of consumer socialization. It is here that people first learn what and how to consume.

A family is not just a collection of several people. Every family is special sociocultural field , which has a power character in relation to the people in it. Their interaction, regulated by law, morality, customs, creates a special atmosphere, a reality that, on the one hand, is manifested only in the activities of family members, and on the other hand, has a forceful character in relation to them. It manifests itself in several ways:

Each household has a very specific economic potential, which turns the family into a field of possibilities and limitations. Different families, different possibilities.
The family field has its own specific cultural program, that is, a set of values and norms that guide family members in their lives, including consumption.
The family field usually has its own characteristics in the system of signs and symbols used in it. Over the years, members of the same family begin to understand each other without words, to read thoughts through elements of consumer behavior invisible to outsiders. In other words, a family jargon is formed here as a set of rules for interpretation.

The metaphor of the field makes significant adjustments to the model of consumer behavior of family members. In this field there is no subject and no external environment. Each member of the family, on the one hand, pursuing his conscious interests, forms a force field that affects all the people in it, participates in its maintenance, and on the other hand, he is the object of its influence. Consequently, the key to understanding the consumer behavior of an individual most often lies not in the analysis of the processes taking place in his head, but in understanding the processes taking place in his family. Here lie the answers to questions concerning his ability to pay, the nature and origin of his tastes, likes and dislikes. More or less serious purchasing, consumer decisions in the family are made under more or less strong pressure from the family field. Therefore, the center for making such decisions is, as a rule, not an individual, but a family.

1. Role, style and way of consumption.

The identity of a person unfolds in the roles he chooses, which add up to the image and style of life. The situational “I” manifests itself in the role, and in a series of situations - the lifestyle as a characteristic of the relatively stable, repetitive properties of the individual. The image and style of life are relatively stable forms of life, characteristic of large or small groups of people. At the same time, these forms have the character of a text. Using them, people, on the one hand, interpret the behavior of others, their place in society, character traits, etc., and on the other hand, they are a means of creating a text about themselves, conveying to others the answer to the question “Who are you?”.

The lifestyle category reflects the power nature of the sociocultural field. The way of life is the typical forms of life activity of people imposed by the field. Another definition can be given: a way of life is a social structure as a set of necessary, typical individual practices. Since one field includes many people, the forms of behavior imposed on them, prescribed by them, are of a typical nature. For example, all people living in a village live according to the limitations and opportunities provided by the environment. With all the desire, it is impossible to repeat in the countryside all the features of city life in Moscow.

Resources (primarily economic) are unevenly distributed among the fields and determine the limits of consumption. The field is a space of limited possibilities. Different fields - different possibilities. One of the manifestations of the field's coercive power in relation to the consumption of goods and services by individuals within its limits is effective demand. Different income strata, professional groups, classes, etc. socio-economic communities differ in their consumer behavior, primarily in different effective demand. It is impossible to consume for an amount significantly exceeding the available monetary resources. A loan is an exception to this rule, since its amount and terms are usually linked to the level of income and the available property used as collateral. An important characteristic of resources is the state of supply of goods on the market (compare, for example, Moscow and a remote village). The volume and nature of market resources are predetermined by the state of production. It is impossible not only to consume, but also to consciously desire what is not yet in nature. Supply as a resource creates demand.

Life program. Every sociocultural field has prescribed consumption programs (values, norms). They impose restrictions on choice, prohibitions on individuals. Violations of the established cultural boundaries lead to the stigmatization of the individual as "uncivilized", "strange", "wild", etc., which is fraught with his exclusion from this group. In some fields the program is tough, in others it is soft and tolerant. The differences between them come down mainly to the unambiguity of cultural programs and the severity of sanctions for their violation. So, there are families, territorial communities, etc., where people can afford to dress, make up, eat differently “as is customary”, they can be condemned, they can be ironic, but in principle this is not dangerous. There are fields (societies, localities, families) where deviation from the norms shared by powerful subjects (parents, church or authorities) is fraught with severe punishment. Even in relatively liberal societies, there are goods and services that are contrary to the cultural program (drugs, for example). Their consumption is fraught with serious negative consequences for the status.

The language of consumption, that is, a set of rules for interpreting consumer practices. The same consumer act in different fields is interpreted (read) in different ways, acting, for example, as a symbol of belonging to “us” or “them”, to “cultural” or “uncivilized”, “having a taste” and “devoid of it”. ". The image of consumption as a set of observable and interpreted forms of consumer behavior has a symbolic character. In other words, according to these features, people around read the text that characterizes the social identity of an individual or group. Numerous external manifestations of the consumption pattern are "slips of the tongue" that slip or shout loudly about the social position of the individual, regardless of his intentions.

Lifestyles are stable forms of individual behavior that are the result of free personal choice within the limits imposed by the field. This is “a way for the individual to realize social opportunities” (Anufrieva 1982: 62). The core of lifestyle is consumption style. It is specific and tied to a specific object: an object, a service (the style of consumption of a car, clothing, alcohol, etc.). The style of consumption is the sustainable forms of using certain goods, freely chosen by the individual within the framework imposed by the way of life. For example, within the same income and the same subculture, it is often possible to choose different food options, different styles of clothing, show different tastes in music, leisure, and so on. The “molecule” of lifestyle is the social role, i.e. free choice of the behavior model available in a given situation. In our lives, even within one day, we change role after role, carefully or automatically choosing models of breakfast, morning hygiene procedures, moving to our workplace, lunch, etc. etc. Social roles tied to a specific situation merge into the style of consumption of a particular product or service, and he - into a lifestyle.

Style is a typical choice within the realm of possibility. If the way of life reflects the structural restrictions imposed on the individual and characterizes the sphere of lack of freedom, then the style of life, on the contrary, reflects the freedom of choice. Freedom and necessity, style and lifestyle are two sides of the same coin: any freedom of choice has limits, and in the most hopeless situation there are options available.

A lifestyle is most often formed within a single lifestyle. This is especially true for societies with limited resources and rigid cultural programs. But in modern rich societies, there are more and more often styles of life that are interclass, interethnic in nature, that is, they develop within different ways of life. For example, people of different class affiliation can lead a sports lifestyle, although sub-styles associated with a particular sport develop within the style, which clearly gravitate towards certain classes. Alpine skiing can be practiced by buying expensive equipment and going only to expensive mountain resorts in Switzerland and Austria, but you can also do it in a simple tracksuit bought at the local market, riding from neighboring hills.

2. Consumption style circles.

The core of the subculture of fans of martial arts is made up of people who practice the corresponding sports, are familiar with at least the basics of the relevant ethics, philosophy, for whom karate or kung fu is not just a sport, but a lifestyle. On the periphery of this style zone, there are a lot of people who attend sports classes for a fee, in which they usually pay only for the sports part of the subculture.

3. Club consumption.

A club is a field based on a common social position and lifestyle (i.e. shared values). This is where "their own" gather. Clubs are usually closed from strangers. Their closeness gives them an additional use value: this is leisure “not for everyone”, “there is no one there”, etc. Filters are used for closing: 1) entrance fees; 2) recommendations of members of the club for candidates to join it; 3) formal requirements for the candidate's social status.

Literature.
Anufrieva R. A. et al. Life style of the individual: theoretical and methodological problems. Kyiv, 1982.
Gunther B. and A. Furnham. Types of consumers. Introduction to psychographics. St. Petersburg: Peter, 2001.
Goshchilo E., Azhgikhina N. Birth of the “new Russians”: pictures from an exhibition // About masculinity. Collection of articles / Compiled by S.Ushakin. M .: New Literary Review, 2002. S. 504 - 531.
Dorfman L. Ya., Druzhinin V. N., Korostelina K. Human style: psychological analysis. M., 1998.
Ionin L.G. Sociology of culture. M.: Logos, 2000.
Ozhegov S.I. Dictionary of the Russian language. M.: Russian language, 1982.
Serebrennikova A. Attitude to health as a factor of population differentiation // New needs and new risks: the reality of the 90s / Responsible. Ed. I.I. Travin. St. Petersburg: Norma, 2001.
Yadov V. A. Life style as a socio-psychological characteristic // Socio-psychological problems in a developed socialist society. M., 1977. S. 18-28.
Chaney D. Lifestyles. London and new York: Routledge, 1996.
Douglas M. Thought styles. Critical Essays on Good Taste. London: Sage, 1996.
Gunter B. & A. Furnham. consumer profiles. An Introduction to Psychographics. London & N.Y.: Routledge, 1992.
“A way of life is usually associated with a more or less stable community. It manifests itself in such characteristics as common norms, rituals, forms of social order and, probably, a special dialect or speech. Therefore, the way of life is close to the definition given by Williams to culture as a form of life”… The way of life is based on “such sociostructural forms as profession, gender, ethnicity and age” (Channey 1996: 92-93).
The Dictionary of the Russian Language (Ozhegov 1982: 682 - 683) defines this concept as follows: Style “1. A characteristic appearance, a kind of something, expressed in some kind of. special features, properties of artistic design ... ".
"Style, - according to L. Ionin (2000: 195), - exists only where there is a choice, and tradition - where the possibility of choice is not realized."

Saratov State Technical University

CONSUMPTION STYLES AS A PROCESS OF IDENTIFICATION

Modeling the style of consumption as an identification process is largely due to the need for theoretical reflection of new social phenomena and processes in the course of transformational changes in society. Socio-economic, political and cultural changes are reflected in everyday life and affect the worldview, lifestyle and behavior, consumption and attitudes towards established views. The emphasis on the style of consumption is due to the transformational phenomena of the process of socio-cultural changes in Russian reality and the search for identity in a dynamically developing society, in the changing conditions of a pluralistic culture and a society of mass consumption. Modern integration processes have covered various aspects of public life. Culture takes into account the impact of economic and political structures on a person, but in a crisis society, the ability of culture to act as an adaptive-negentropic component of social life actualizes the role of a person-subject, who is increasingly exercising his right to choose. The modern cultural explosion makes the semantic boundaries between the real and the imaginary irrelevant. The choice of life style, manifested in the individualization and typification of social interaction, turns out to be problematic and dependent on the dynamics of sociocultural changes.

Transformational changes in society have revealed a number of contradictions. Mismatch and discrepancy between the capabilities of the individual and the conditions for their implementation produce a discrepancy between value orientations, personal attitudes, practice of action and external conditions. In the sphere of consumption, the mismatch is expressed in the clash of opinions and positions of individuals in the process of interaction, the transition of the potential into the actual and the transformation of the motivational forces of the individual into an external reality. At the same time, one has to take into account the contradictions associated with various kinds of external social cataclysms. The period of transformation is most acutely manifested by an aggravation of the crisis worldview, the disintegration of institutions, the loss of identification of the individual with the former structures, values, and norms as a result of the replacement of social incentives for development with cultural ones. Social contradictions determine the heterogeneity of the life world. The risk society only partly follows its destiny: a person has lost a sense of stability, confidence and well-being. The transformation of society expands the freedom of choice and responsibility of a person, as a result of differentiation of the structure and the emergence of new integrating elements, it increases the possibilities of life, while violating the consistency of a person with himself and the surrounding reality. Changes require from a person a significant revision of values and value orientations. The acceleration of the pace and rhythm of life does not leave the possibility of delay in making decisions. The transience, general informativeness, coherence and irreversibility of sociocultural processes make individuals more oriented towards social practice, where the focus on the experience of the present becomes a priority. .

Life strategies based on education, more often than others, include new models of behavior that have become available in connection with market reforms in the economy and liberal democratic changes in society. The problems of life self-determination are associated with the ambiguity of assessments and the reflection of ongoing changes, opportunities and conditions for self-consciousness. Everyday life takes on the properties and qualities of a product, the set of needs increases, the requirements for goods and services change. In a dynamically developing society, time itself turns into a commodity: patterns, types and forms of social interaction, values, needs and interests are rapidly changing. Modern transformations are innovative in nature, and the information component of society is acquiring new characteristics. Along with the emerging virtual society, the foundations of identity are being laid as a result of new ways of forming consciousness, which are capable of making it fragmentary. Culture itself becomes multifaceted, symbolic and largely virtual. The contradictions of globalization are clearly indicated in the contradiction between the network and identity - the simultaneity of creation and globalization, and fragmentation.

Market relations from the sphere of the economy spread to the entire public life. The change in the nature of consumption concerns its individualization, the increase in the role of the symbolic function and the scale of consumption of intangible objects. The results of socio-cultural life become the objects of consumption, and the non-economic needs of individuals become the driving force of relations. The place of economic achievements is occupied by the quality of life, which leads to an emphasis on the cultural component of the economy, and the style of consumption is considered in the context of taking into account the material and symbolic aspects of this type of social relations. A direct consequence of the changes are changes in the structure and patterns of consumption. Traditional patterns of behavior do not have time to respond to changes, come into conflict with constantly changing conditions and become unstable, turning out to be unreasonable as a result of the McDonaldization of society. The situation in which the individual finds himself requires energetic and extraordinary actions. Without guaranteed strategies for achieving well-being, individuals try to cope with changing circumstances using symbolically perceived patterns of consumption. As a result, new types of interactions and styles appear, less legitimate or not legitimate, but somehow coping with this situation.

The current situation determines the presence of a new habitus as a result of the activity of the agent himself. As a result, there is a weakening of the connection between social structure and lifestyle, and life orientations become more open and mobile. There is a situation of constant reflection of the subjective "I", which rejects everything objectified. Consumer goods are informal and are found in almost all spheres of public life, which allows us to speak of identification through consumption. The style of consumption builds social differentiation and the stratification model of society on the basis of stylistic diversity. The mobility of individual value systems increases: the individual gets the opportunity to change his social status, revise the acquired ideas, and improve value priorities. The essence of consumption style lies in the dynamics of style formation and the mobility of identity. Society sets the socio-cultural framework of solidarity, and the need to be included in social networks is an integral property of an individual who is forced to passively or actively self-determine himself in the diversity of the social environment and changing conditions.

Modern Russian society is undergoing dynamic transformations in social relations and cultural practices. The integrative role of culture in relation to man and society determines the interest in man in the context of anthropological knowledge. The processes of transition from reflexive forms of awareness of human activity to reflexive-descriptive ones require timely sociological reflection. In modern society, culture itself consumes a person, contributing to the reorientation of the cultural style into an individual style of life. The problem of consumption style that arises in this regard is determined by the need to analyze the dynamics of sociocultural changes, the transformation of lifestyle, types of behavior, the reassessment of values, needs, and the social construction of processes and methods of identification.

In the course of the transformation of culture and spiritual life, patterns of interaction are changed and modified, the style of life and behavior in the sphere of consumption is redefined into a style of consumption as a way of identification in the context of the socio-cultural process of stylization of public life. In the processes of socialization, stylization and identification, the relationship between man and society is contradictory. On the one hand, the demands of society regulate human behavior, on the other hand, the instability of social development "requires" the activity of a person according to his own identification, which relays social regulators, expanding the scope and transforming social norms. This problem is especially important for Russia, where the reassessment of values is accompanied by socio-economic changes.

The problem of conceptualization and modeling of consumption style affects the areas of sociological, anthropological, cultural, psychological and economic knowledge. Transformation processes, the formation of a market economy, the change of cultural, ideological, life ideals of society and the individualization of values actualize research interest in issues of socio-cultural changes and ways of identification. The problem of identification in the context of dynamic changes in a pluralistic culture, risk society and mass consumption is one of such topics of sociological discourse, the importance of which will grow rapidly every year.

Modern society is characterized by social contradictions, bifurcation, mismatch and inconsistency between value orientations, attitudes, practice of action and the cultural and educational capital of individuals and a dynamically developing society of pluralistic culture and mass consumption. Under these conditions, new forms of life appear as a process and a way of identification in the context of social changes caused by institutional and cultural transformation. The style of consumption is a way of identification (in a personal aspect) and a process of stylization (in a dynamic aspect) in the conditions of sociocultural pluralism and a society of mass consumption. The inclusion of the factor of cultural pluralism in the style of consumption is due to the installation: cultural phenomena are not given in direct perception and are latently presented in social forms of interaction. The consumption style analysis takes into account both the transformation of institutional and the formation of non-institutional forms of interaction between direct and mediating subjects of interaction; the nature of legitimization accompanying them, corresponding to the peculiarities of socio-cultural conditions, the social situation in specific spatial and temporal conditions. Modeling the style of consumption is based on the selection of aspects of analysis, their content and style-forming factors.

The style of consumption exists as a fixed value, objectified in a certain style structure. Style-forming factors are the functioning phenomena of culture (dynamic aspect) and cultural and educational capital (personal aspect). The signs of consumption style are: reflection of sociocultural reality at the individual level of decision-making, the existential side of life and the content structure of goals and means, the logic of reflection in the context of cultural and educational capital, the relationship between content (lifestyle) and form (social style), the integrity of the sociocultural process and a method of identification in the form of a personal-social style based on the social-individual axis of the functioning of culture in a spatio-temporal context. The essence of consumption style lies in the dynamics of style formation and the mobility of identity. Style features play the role of symbols of identity, and the social world in which there is a differentiation of these features is an organized differentiation - a stylistic symbolic system.

Based on the technological and axiological concepts of culture, a model of the functioning of the consumption style is built. The forms of interactions consciously chosen by individuals and variants of self-organization of life state the style of consumption, determined by a set of style-forming factors inside and outside of style. Role-specific behavior is the basis for the functioning of the consumption style. Stylistic pluralism entails increasing differentiation, and society is characterized by a synthesis of mobile styles, without a clear maintenance of hierarchical distinctions, which become conditional, fragmented and scattered, and the cultural sphere is isolated from others. Culture coexists with a bifurcated economy, and competition promotes a plurality of cultural meanings of human activity and identity that are not regulated by the social system. The development of the economy and culture and their interdependence activates the reflexivity of interactions in the sphere of consumption and manifests itself in the form of a pattern: the development of a pluralistic culture and styles is adequate to the degree of development of consumption and the level of formation of the needs, interests and values of the individual and society. In an unstable society, established sociality gives way to style as a mobile identification and chosen individuality of social interaction.

The process of stylization as a dynamic aspect of the style of consumption is determined by the spatio-temporal functioning of socio-cultural processes, the value and information resources of consumption, the interaction of cultural functions and phenomena. It is a transformational-reproductive socio-cultural process of reproducing the style of consumption in the form of a pluralistic existence of styles in culture, social and individual life. The process of stylization is an integrated process, conditioned by the processes of socialization and identification, and has a binding, basic character, functioning at all levels of social reality. The style of consumption as a socio-cultural process constructs a movably organized space of consumption in the form of a synthesis of social and living spaces. The style of consumption is determined by the cultural space of the synthesizing fields of reality - social and individual. The interaction of fields is manifested in the processes of socialization, stylization and identification on the axis of the functioning of culture, expressing the social and individual orientation of the processes.

The style-forming factor in the style of consumption as a socio-cultural process is a modally balanced set of functions and cultural phenomena. The axiological aspect of the style of consumption as a socio-cultural process is determined by the dynamics and mobility of needs, interests and values. Values-ideals, manifesting themselves in the process of stylization and setting a prognostic goal, go through a period of coherence with values-standards in the process of socialization and contribute to the definition of a life form (identification). The functional balance of the processes of socialization, stylization and identification is due to the inversion of the procedural phenomena of culture and the cultural and educational capital of individuals. The correlation and combination of traditional and postmodern values with needs reveals the evaluative feature of the style of consumption. Evaluation, being the basis for choosing alternatives in the practice of consumption, contributes to the regulation of the life activity and interactions of the individual in everyday life through value orientations as a regulator of consumption style and the replacement of need-need with need-projection.

In modern society, information, regulating interests and criteria in relation to the quantity and quality of consumption, contributes to the development of models of identification through consumption. The information resource of consumption style as a socio-cultural process reflects two directions of the process: the change and diversity of objects and patterns of consumption and the relative standardization of the motive of prestige and similitude. It is normative by the ability to determine and regulate interactions in the sphere of consumption, but is not a norm as a pattern of action. On the basis of stylistic differentiation, the reflection of the norm is latent and labile, acts as the normativity of the sample and the choice of the consumer, and is interdependent on the style of consumption. Consumption, being an integral aspect of modern life, contributes to the individualization of consumption, a way of self-expression and acquisition of identity. In a society of mass consumption, the object of consumption as a need changes to a need as a symbolic object of consumption, which contributes to the virtuality and mobility of identity.

The style of consumption acts as a way of identification through the sphere of consumption and the process of stylization. In the mechanism of functioning of the consumption style, the variety of personal manifestations in the sphere of consumption increases and relative commitment to the group remains, which creates the basis for the emergence of models of interactions with irrational phenomena. Without guaranteed strategies for achieving well-being, individuals try to cope with changing circumstances using symbolically perceived (virtual) patterns of consumption that cause the value marginalization of the individual and society. Identification through consumption is cultural in nature, and the style of consumption states intragenerational differentiation leading to the blurring of the boundaries of generalized polarized types of consumer behavior and lifestyles. The individual produces himself as text/meaning in the context of culture. The interaction of consumption styles uses the criterion of new rationality - irrationality, as the freedom of self-expression of diversity. The synthesis of instrumental and value needs in the consumption style defines central rationality in the form of an irrational and value-oriented type of interactions in the functioning of the consumption style. In the style of consumption, individual, interactive and social irrationality stands out. Individual irrationality is determined by the functioning of culture (dynamic aspect) and cultural and educational capital (personal aspect).

The regulation of interaction as freedom of choice in the sphere of consumption is determined by the mechanisms of activity and is represented by motivational behavioral acts. In a situation of choice in the sphere of consumption and the presence of risk in decision-making, it becomes a priority to take the right action when correlating objective and subjective factors based on increasing diversity and maintaining group commitment. Everyday practices acquire a background character, and the style of consumption reflects the change in the context of social practices, accompanied by the emergence of corresponding identities. Identification through consumption is influenced by group solidarity, where the basis of interaction is the normalization of relations, individual goals, means of achieving them and the information used, and the group is a community of dispersed interests based on the diversity of goals and the unity of the means to achieve them.

Exchange relations, being a fundamental social process, lead to the formation of a social structure. The actualization of the sphere of consumption and the needs of the individual contributes to the weakening of the connection between the social structure and the style of consumption. Stratification, as a result of the action of the market, along with economic capital and social origin, includes the sphere of culture as a constitutive factor of social differences. The style of consumption as a way of identification is correlated with the discourse of difference in the social space of consumption and becomes a criterion of social differentiation. The social space acts as a space of consumption styles, where the unit of social structure is the consumption style as a way of identification and a set of interaction agents. The living space of consumption styles becomes the result of social stratification and can limit the freedom of the individual, and the consumption style is its stratification feature.

The style of consumption is reflected by the lifestyle and behavior of consumers in the dynamically developing conditions of a pluralistic world and a society of mass consumption. The style-forming factor of consumption style as a way of identification (personal aspect) is cultural and educational capital. The style of consumption actualizes the problems of the need for education, the transformation of typical forms of behavior and interaction, the accompanying nature of legitimization, involves adaptation to the growing educational and sociocultural needs of the individual, is due to the need of the labor market and individuals to shift emphasis from qualification to competence and the development of human capital as a system. socially oriented personal attitudes. The system of dispositions becomes the result of the interaction of consumption styles, causing value differentiation, marginalization and mobility of identity in modern society.

The increased need for education and the increase in cultural and educational capital as a style-forming factor in the style of consumption position the system of continuous education as equivalent to the system of basic vocational education. For the style of consumption as a way of identification, it is important to reflect on vertical and horizontal connections with other production and non-production areas, which characterizes the dominance of additional education. Additional education is considered in the context of a prognostic activity aimed at updating the needs for education and competence, including the consumer in the system of continuing professional education. The factors of activity, the correlation of opportunities for choice in the field of education and the non-standard conditions throughout the life path are the time parameter, spatial continuity and the organizational form of education.

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Social types according to the style of consumption. Role, style and way of consumption

Lead organization: FGBOU VPO « Altai State

technical university. I.I. Polzunov"

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