The term “lifestyle” has become increasingly common in the media and is often used to refer to the individual’s pattern of living, a set of values or beliefs, a particular way of interpreting reality or a particular group to which he or she belongs. In the field of health, lifestyles are often associated with a person’s health status and the development or prevention of disease. However, there are numerous definitions of the concept of a “lifestyle” and there are various research methods for investigating it. This article aims to provide an overview of the various currents and perspectives on the lifestyle concept.
Theories of a lifestyle tend to differ from one another in terms of their focus and the perspective from which they are approached. Those that emphasise an external interpretation of lifestyle usually have sociological origins. They include the theories of Weber and Bourdieu as well as those that focus on consumption (e.g., Berkman and Gilson).
These theories define lifestyle as an expression of the individuals’ social position in a specific context. They emphasise the interaction between an individual’s internalisation of the structures that define power relations and his or her inclinations, aptitudes, and expectations. The individual thus appropriates lifestyles from the social environment and combines them with his or her own personal values, preferences, and interests to form his or her modus vivendi.
For the sociologists Thorstein Veblen and Max Weber, lifestyle was a distinctive element of status groups that is closely connected to a specific dialectic of recognition and prestige. These groups distinguish themselves from other social strata that they identify as inferior by displaying lifestyles that are most visible to others. They also express their desire to be emulated by the ones that are considered to be superior in order to achieve prestige themselves.
The second trend to develop models of a lifestyle focuses on consumption and is particularly suited for research in consumer psychology. These models use the concept of a lifestyle to explain and analyse the patterns of consumption that characterise societies. The concepts of lifestyle and consumption are based on the assumption that consumption is an important factor in social differentiation.
A third approach to the concept of a lifestyle has its roots in psychoanalysis and considers it a psychological construct. These theories are based on the concept of an individual’s personality and how it develops during childhood. The personality is defined as a structure of thoughts, feelings and behaviours that is developed in a specific manner during the process of maturation.
Studies have shown that there are connections between a person’s lifestyle and the risk of developing depression, generalised anxiety disorder or suicidal ideation. This is because unhealthy lifestyles often involve a combination of factors that lead to a lower level of mental wellbeing. It is therefore essential to investigate the relationships between a person’s lifestyle and his or her overall health. Hence, the need for a multidisciplinary discussion on the various conceptualisations of a lifestyle that combines the insights from sociology, behavioural science and health psychology.
