LIFESTYLE defines a concept of the study of individual differences and cultural diversity. The word was first introduced by Austrian psychiatrist Alfred Adler in his 29th book, The Case of Miss R. The concept was adopted by American sociologist Ida Mae West in her famous book, The Self-Disclosure Scale.
According to West, the LIFESTYLE concept is a key to understanding human difference and the functioning of mass culture. Adler, in his own interpretation of Adler, also developed the LIFESTYLE concept to identify different personality styles – individualistic, communicative, linear, and permissive. The idea of using the scale to measure individualism and permissiveness to various mass cultures was further taken up and developed by American sociologist W. E. Briggs in the later half of the twentieth century. Specifically, Briggs extended the LIFESTYLE concept to incorporate a broader range of attitudes, values, beliefs, behaviors, ideas, and customs and to relate these concepts to mass culture.
In order to understand LIFESTYLE, it is essential to have a firm grasp of the framework from which it operates. West and porno maintain that human life-styles, or individual attitudes and behaviors, are determined by three forces – biological, psychological, and communal aspects. These three forces interact in varying degrees to determine the structure of individual life-styles and the nature of the relationships they support. LIFESTYLE is an attempt to further understand these three forces in relation to mass culture and their effects on the patterns of individual and group behavior. In essence, LIFESTYLE attempts to explain the reasons behind the development of mass social patterns by examining the role the LIFESTYLE scale plays in shaping the beliefs, behaviors, and experiences of the masses.
As detailed by West and adorno (eds), the LIFESTYLE framework serves as a frame through which to view the major mass phenomena of our time – increasing materialism, increasing humidity and gender specialization, the decline of the arts and humanities, and the gradual erosion of democratic institutions. Through the lens of the LIFESTYLE scale, the different dimensions of a life-style can be examined more closely, offering insights into the process by which individuals form and justify life-styles and their relationships to other individuals and to the social environment. West and adores this “approach” to the study of lifestyle, since it allows the discipline of sociology to take on a concrete reality.
The most common definition of a LIFESTYLE word list is “a set of beliefs, behaviors, choices, and experiences that provide a meaning and purpose for human life.” According to the American Heritage Dictionary, a LIFESTYLE word list also includes “a set of rules or principles intended to promote social harmony.” Other synonyms for LIFESTYLE are “loving life,” “active lifestyle,” “family life style,” “community life style,” “life style,” and “individualistic life style.” LIFESTYLE may also appear as a shortened form of life style. synonyms for LIFESTYLE include life situation, lifestyle, family situation, and the situation.
In conclusion, LIFESTYLE is an acronym for: Light, Flavor, Flow, Enjoy, Leisure, and Safety. It’s important to remember that the definition of a LIFESTYLE word list should not serve as the final word on any particular theory of sociability. Indeed, several theories of social media behavior have been proposed using LIFESTYLE as a jumping-off point, yet a person does not need to employ all definitions in every single theory in order to construct an accurate analysis. Rather, the theory of LIFESTYLE is meant to provide a framework within which a person can construct their own description of a lifestyle situation that is most conducive to social interaction.
