A lifestyle reflects a person’s attitudes and values. It can also affect health.
Various fields have developed different definitions and theories about the concept of lifestyle. This narrative review reexamines the main definitions of lifestyle in the psychological and sociological fields from three perspectives: internal, external, and temporal. The most significant components that characterise the lifestyle concept are identified.
A way of living.
The term’ lifestyle’ has been used in various ways, from describing superficial elements such as eating habits or work routines to explaining more profound aspects, including character and behavior. Despite this, its definitions tend to have a similar structure: they refer to the way an individual organises their daily activities and perceives themselves, others, and the world around them.
According to Adler’s psychology theory, a person’s lifestyle is determined by their temperament and personality. This is a complex process that develops throughout an individual’s life and influences their beliefs, expectations, and behaviors. Their environment also defines a person’s lifestyle. For example, people living in rural areas have different lifestyles from those in urban areas.
Moreover, there is also a temporal dimension in the lifestyle concept. Some authors, such as Georg Simmel and Anthony Giddens, emphasize that a lifestyle is not a stable characteristic, but rather one that can change or evolve in particular phases of life. Moreover, they suggest that the changes and transformations of sociocultural conditions influence lifestyles.
Pierre Bourdieu takes up this point and proposes a model of lifestyles that consists of a formula with two components: the internalisation of social structures, which constitutes the field, and the person’s tastes and aptitudes, which form the habitus. He emphasizes that the social environment influences the formation of a person’s lifestyle, as well as their actions and reactions.
A pattern of behaviour.
Much of our daily behaviour is automatic – we engage in it without thinking or giving it much thought. We may engage in toxic behavior patterns, which are detrimental to ourselves and others, or we might adopt beneficial behavior patterns, which can help us achieve long-term health and wellness. Changing a pattern can be difficult, but it’s often more rewarding than continuing with the same one. If you are having trouble changing a particular behaviour, try talking to someone who can help you understand it. They can also help you to identify the triggers for this behaviour and the positive and negative effects of it.
A way of thinking.
A person’s way of thinking refers to the method they use to approach and consider things. It includes their beliefs and assumptions. They might think rationally, or they may be more inclined to jump to conclusions. A person’s way of thinking can also be influenced by their cultural background and perspectives. See the thesaurus for synonyms of way of thinking.
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A way of feeling.
Several perspectives and theories have been used to define lifestyle and analyse its various dimensions. The first, starting with Alfred Adler, viewed lifestyle as a style of personality constituted by the framework of guiding values and principles that each individual builds during their early years, which in turn determines their reactions and behaviors [1]. Other readings considered it mainly as an external phenomenon expressed in different status groups that differed from one another in consumption patterns.
The psychological approach considers the concept of lifestyle on the level of thought, analysing the internal dimensions of the personality, such as attitudes and interests. This interpretation was further developed by Milton Rokeach, Arnold Mitchell’s VALS research, and Lynn R. Kahle’s LOV research, which identified the existence of various models of hierarchically organised scales to which different lifestyles corresponded [2].
These two currents of analysis have been criticized for their excessive focus on internal traits that do not necessarily influence behavior and, in some cases, are too distant from the behavioral level. More recently, the concept of lifestyle has been reinterpreted within health psychology as a model of social positioning based on the possibilities for action. The reinterpretation of the lifestyle construct in this way has made it possible to think of healthy lifestyles not as a set of specific behaviors, but as a system of values, attitudes, and orientations that define health practice models.
