In this Bachelor-thesis the consumption of convenience food of German households is
analysed from the perspective of sociology of consumption. At first three theoretical
conceptions are presented and discussed which serve as a basis for the empirical analysis that
is undertaken later.
The first conception is made up by Pierre Bourdieu’s analysis of consumption behaviour of
the French society in the 1960s. His book, Distinction: A Social Critique of Taste, shall be
seen as the methodological starting point for the later empirical research. Following
Bourdieu’s findings, this led to the question whether substantial class differences in the
consumption of convenience food are detectable in German society. George Ritzer’s thesis,
The McDonaldization of Society, and its key terms Efficiency, Calculability, Predictability,
and Control further argue in favour for the choice of convenience food. The third theoretical
pillar is the conception of lifeworld and its development in the field of philosophy and
sociology. The empirical part uses an arrangement of German households in family lifeworlds,
as it is also done by the German Society for Consumer Research. The analysed empirical data
on purchasing behaviour was provided by the market research study Typology of Desires
2010.
After analysis based on standing in society, phase of life, and household composition,
“Students/ Apprentices” and “Unemployed/ Working Poor” resulted as the lifeworlds with the
strongest consumption of convenience food. The initial question in the direction of a social
determination of consumption of convenience food must be negated. Instead can be argued
that consumption is strongly determined by the phase of life, and partially by social status in
society and household composition.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Part I: Consumption and Sociology
Definition of the field of study
Emergence of sociology of consumption
Part II: Why do we eat what we eat?
The Social Construction of Taste
Weberian rationalities
McDonaldization
Lifeworld
Part III: Empirical Analysis
Conclusion
Bibliography
Appendix
Objectives & Core Themes
This thesis examines the consumption patterns of convenience food among German households, utilizing a sociological perspective to determine whether social status, life phase, or household composition are primary drivers for such consumption habits.
- Theoretical foundations of consumption sociology, including Bourdieu's habitus and Ritzer's McDonaldization.
- Application of the "lifeworld" concept to categorize German households.
- Empirical analysis of purchasing behavior based on the "Typology of Desires 2010" data.
- Investigation into the influence of life phases (Schooling, Working life, Retirement) on food choices.
- Assessment of the relationship between social strata and convenience food usage.
Excerpt from the Book
The Social Construction of Taste
The question if taste is learnt independently of the social class of origin, or whether the adherence to the higher or lower class determines taste and life-style, had been one guiding question in Pierre Bourdieu’s analysis of the French society in the 1960s and in later years. In 1963 and 1967-68 Bourdieu conducted a survey on 1217 individuals. Bourdieu’s questionnaires and analysis aimed at revealing consumption patterns of French households, i.e. “...to determine how the cultivated disposition and cultural competence, ..., vary according to the category of agents and the area to which they applied...” (Bourdieu, 1984, p.13).
At the beginning of the formation of taste, there is socialization. In order to know whether for example a child does not like to go to the theatre because his or her parents do not like to go, or whether a child’s habits are developed independently of its parents’ preferences, one needs to take a closer look at the process of socialization. With regard to Elkin (1960) socialization is “...the process by which someone learns the ways of a given society or social group so that he can function within it“ (Elkin, 1960, p.4). During the process of socialization, Elkin (1960) further argues, behavioural patterns, values and feelings are learnt and internalized. From the example given above, the child learns the stance to take towards a visit of a theatre.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the scope of the thesis, examining the intersection of sociology and consumer behavior regarding convenience food.
Part I: Consumption and Sociology: Defines the field of study and discusses the historical development of the sociology of consumption.
Part II: Why do we eat what we eat?: Provides the theoretical grounding, using Bourdieu’s work, Weberian rationalities, Ritzer’s McDonaldization theory, and the philosophical concept of the lifeworld.
Part III: Empirical Analysis: Uses the "Typology of Desires" dataset to quantitatively analyze how different lifeworlds and social strata influence the consumption of convenience food.
Conclusion: Summarizes findings, noting that convenience food consumption is more strongly linked to life phase and household composition than to social class alone.
Keywords
Sociology of consumption, convenience food, McDonaldization, lifeworld, Bourdieu, habitus, social stratification, empirical analysis, consumer behavior, lifestyle research, German households, Typology of Desires, rationalization, life phases, household composition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this thesis?
The work investigates the consumption patterns of convenience food within German households from a sociological standpoint, exploring the factors that influence purchasing decisions.
What are the primary theoretical themes?
The central themes include the social construction of taste (Bourdieu), the rationalization of society (Weber/Ritzer), and the sociological concept of the "lifeworld" as an analytical instrument.
What is the primary research goal?
The main objective is to identify whether specific social groups (based on social status, life phase, or family structure) correlate with higher or lower convenience food consumption.
What scientific methods were employed?
The author uses a quantitative empirical approach, applying descriptive statistics and contingency tables to data from the "Typology of Desires 2010" market research study.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main body covers the development of consumption sociology, the theoretical application of Ritzer’s four dimensions of McDonaldization, and an empirical analysis of specific household lifeworlds.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Key terms include sociology of consumption, convenience food, lifeworld, habitus, McDonaldization, and social stratification.
How does the "lifeworld" concept function in this study?
The lifeworld concept is used to classify households into distinct groups, such as "Students/Apprentices" or "Pensioner-families," to analyze their specific needs, sorrows, and consumption habits.
What did the author conclude regarding convenience food?
The author found that convenience food consumption is less determined by social class than initially hypothesized, but is highly dependent on the phase of life and whether a household has family ties.
Which groups were identified as the most frequent consumers?
The analysis identified households in the phases of "Schooling" (specifically students and apprentices) and those in precarious economic situations as the most frequent consumers of convenience food.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Florian Schleicher (Autor:in), 2010, Consumption patterns and lifeworlds using the example of convenience food, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/265955
