Lifestyle is a combination of intangible factors, like beliefs, values, and outlooks. It consists of day-to-day behaviors, patterns of consumption, and social practices.
Lifestyles were first conceived in the late 1920s and early 1930s by Austrian psychologist Alfred Adler. He wrote a book titled The Science of Living. According to him, the lifestyle was a basic character that was forged early in a person’s childhood.
In the early 1950s, marketers began to use the term to define consumer groups. These groupings were often targeted by marketing strategies.
Lifestyles is a combination of social, religious, cultural, and economic factors. They are often intertwined with individual beliefs, attitudes, and interests. Some authors argue that lifestyles are also associated with health and wellness, and others believe they have a direct bearing on human behavior.
Researchers have come up with many different ways to define a lifestyle. Depending on the author, the definition can range from being a way of life to a set of habits.
Many people have different lifestyles, because they live in different countries, cultures, and socioeconomic classes. Even within a city, it is important to consider the neighborhood and climate.
Another way to define the lifestyle is to consider its most common and useful features. Typically, a lifestyle is an individual’s set of preferences and patterns of behavior. This may include views on politics, religion, or intimacy.
While it is not exactly clear what the earliest definition of lifestyle was, it was widely used in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Among its earliest defenders were Alfred Adler and Max Weber.