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A typology of lifestyles

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Abstract

Lifestyle, currently a popular lay term but not an important construct within the social sciences, is examined briefly. Two studies designed to explore a lifestyle typology using personal projects methodology are reported. In the first study, three distinct lifestyle types were identified among a large community sample. They were tentatively labelled “pressured”, “relaxed”, and “wishful thinking” lifestyles. In the second stuty, these types were replicated for a university student group, with two types of a “relaxed” lifestyle being revealed.

Four lifestyle types were found among those in the university sample reporting high subjective well-being. They were tentatively labelled “hedonistic”, “adventuristic”, “individualistic”, and “promethean”. A preliminary analysis of a variety of demographic and socioeconomic variables using the four types for the subsample reporting high well-being revealed age and sex differences. Young respondents tended to be assigned to the hedonistic and adventuristic types, while older respondents tended to be assigned to the promethean type. Women tended to be assigned to hedonistic type. The results and some implications for further research are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Bishop's University, J1M 1Z7, Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada

    James Horley, Barbara Carroll & Brian R. Little

  2. Department of Psychology, Carleton University, K1S 5B6, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

    James Horley, Barbara Carroll & Brian R. Little

Authors
  1. James Horley
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  2. Barbara Carroll
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  3. Brian R. Little
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Additional information

This paper is based on the presentation by J. Horley and B. Carroll, “Values, lifestyles and personal project profiles”, at the 45th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Psychological Association, Ottawa, June, 1984. Appreciation is due to Dr. Harvey Skinner for this comments on an early version of this paper, and to Dr. Linda Wood for her helpful critique of a later version of the manuscript.

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Horley, J., Carroll, B. & Little, B.R. A typology of lifestyles. Soc Indic Res 20, 383–398 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00302334

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