For the second part of this assignment, you are tasked with writing a 2,500word reflective essay, which explores your relationship with a significant object or consumption experience. You must choose a single entry from your introspective diary and use the feedback and advice that you received to develop this essay. With this essay, you must draw more in-depth parallels, contrasts and connections between the theories or concepts that you are engaging with in lecture sessions (i.e Consumer Culture theory, Rational Choice/Social/Cultural theory, Consumer as information processor/Experiencer, Edgework etc) and through your reading. These insights should also be used to develop observations/arguments in relation to consumption related topics/debates covered in this module.
Having completed the reflective essay, you must use a medium of your choice (photograph, collage, painting, drawing, model making), to create a representation that captures your relationship with the consumption object/experience. You will not be assessed on the artistic quality of this representation, rather the purpose here is to give you an opportunity to reflect upon the understanding that you have developed in the essay in a creative way. Previous student representations will be made available as examples.
You may, once again, consider the following questions to further develop your reflective essay:
In what ways consumption is used to support the construction of your personal and social identity?
What role the symbolic meanings associated with your consumption play in constructing your identity?
Is the information processing, behavioural or experiential view of consumers relevant to your consumption patterns?
Is consumption a means to connect with a community of like-minded others or do you use it to stand-out?
Do you have consumption objects that are particularly significant in your life and what way they reflect your self-concept?
The principal aim here is for students to reflect upon their own consumption experiences so that they can begin to understand and interpret the many ways that consumers form relationships with objects/ and through experiences. It is essential that you utilise the feedback received on your introspective journal enteries in order to develop more in-depth insights in your reflective essay.
Useful Resources:
Heisley, D. D., & Cours, D. (2007). Connectedness and worthiness for the embedded self: A material culture perspective. Consumption, Markets and Culture, 10(4), 425-450.
Belk, R.W., 2013. Extended self in a digital world. Journal of Consumer Research, 40(3), pp.477-500.
Marwick, A.E., 2015. Instafame: Luxury selfies in the attention economy. Public Culture, 27(1 75), pp.137-
160.
Holbrook, Morris B., and Elizabeth C. Hirschman. “The experiential aspects of consumption: Consumer
fantasies, feelings, and fun.” Journal of consumer research 9.2 (1982): 132-140.
Elliott, R. and Wattanasuwan, K., 1998. Brands as symbolic resources for the construction of
identity. International journal of Advertising, 17(2), pp.131-144.
Wattanasuwan, K., 2005. The self and symbolic consumption. Journal of American Academy of Business, 6(1),
pp.179-184.
McAlexander, J.H., Schouten, J.W. and Koenig, H.F., 2002. Building brand community. Journal of
marketing, 66(1), pp.38-54.
McCracken, G., 1986. Culture and consumption: A theoretical account of the structure and movement of the
cultural meaning of consumer goods. Journal of consumer research, 13(1), pp.71-84.