A lifestyle is a way of life. It could include specific habits about clothing, food, exercise, free time and other areas of a person’s existence. Generally, a lifestyle is linked to a subculture or social group. Examples of such lifestyles would be swinging, nudism, festival culture, alternate sexuality, particular diets or prepping for disaster.
As a concept, the idea of a lifestyle has been used and explored by psychologists and sociologists alike. However, the meaning of this term has been inconsistent across different research and theoretical frameworks. It is therefore important to explore the varying definitions and conceptualisations of lifestyle in order to establish a common framework for this construct. This article takes a narrative approach to reviewing the main definitions and interpretations of lifestyle in psychological and sociological literature. It focuses on defining and analysing three interpretative keys: internal, external and temporal.
The first current to define and interpret a lifestyle emphasised its role as an expression of personality. This is a model which draws on Alfred Adler’s work and conceives of a lifestyle as an individual’s framework of guiding values, principles and rules that govern their behaviour throughout life.
Other models that are more sociological in nature, such as Bourdieu’s, have defined a lifestyle as the product of the interaction between dynamic forces operating at a social level and the individual’s taste and propensity for material and symbolic appropriation of a certain class of practices or objects. These determinants are reflected in the behavioural patterns of the individual and differentiate them from other social groups.
Finally, a third interpretation of a lifestyle is the one which relates it to the concept of identity and status. These lifestyles are viewed as the means through which an individual defines themselves and communicates their position within society. They are derived from a variety of external causes at the cultural and social level and express the desire to belong to a particular group.
The final definition of a lifestyle refers to the different ways in which individuals satisfy their needs and wishes. These can be ascribed to the various levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, namely physiological and safety needs, egoistic ones (self-gratification), and altruistic ones (inner or outer directed). As such, a lifestyle is determined by the combination of all these elements and can vary between individuals. It is important to note that each of these categories can also change over time and are dependent on the environment in which they exist. The resulting lifestyles, then, are a complex network of interconnected behaviours and habits that reflect the person’s unique interpretation of their surroundings and the world in which they live. They are, therefore, a unique part of a person’s character and personality.