Helga Dittmar Reihenfolge der Bücher (Chronologisch)

Advertising, materialism, and consumption are key elements of contemporary Western culture, inundating us with idealized images of bodies, consumer goods, and affluent lifestyles. Psychology is only beginning to explore the significant impact these consumer culture ideals have on individuals' identities and self-worth. This work documents the negative psychological effects of consumer culture on self-perception and emotional well-being. It examines the social psychological aspects of possessing, buying, and desiring material goods, alongside the pursuit of media-driven appearance ideals. Various social psychology approaches, including self-completion, self-discrepancy, and value theory, are integrated to form a comprehensive framework for understanding how internalizing consumer culture ideals affects individuals' self-perception and overall health. This text is relevant for anyone interested in the psychological consequences of living in modern consumer societies, particularly concerning children, adolescents, and adults. It will appeal to students and researchers in social psychology, sociology, media studies, communication, and other social sciences, as well as psychologists, health workers, and practitioners focused on identity, consumption-related issues, body image, and body-related behaviors.

This book, which is aimed at the undergraduate social psychology students, introduces a social constructionist approach which proposes that the meanings of material possessions are socially constituted and shared. Possessions are conceptualized as symbols of identity which can express and communicate an individuals's social position and personal qualities. Material context may therefore play a significant role in various areas of social cognition, a notion which runs counter to the contemporary Anglo-American conception of identity as unique, autonomous and free of contextual factors.