The effect of social standing on lifestyle in the Czech Republic

Ondřej Špaček Vliv sociálního postaveni na životni styl v České republice Summary There can be identified two basic theoretical positions in the discussion o f the association between lifestyles or tastes and social standing. The theory of homology is derived from the work o f Bourdieu and the early ideas about elite and mass culture. This theory supposes that the hierarchy of the social standings is mirrored in the hierarchy of the tastes. High classes usually consume the high culture while lower classes like the popular culture. This idea is opposed by thoughts of some post-modem thinkers. Such authors as Beck or Bauman accent process of individualisation that disrupts strict connection between the social standing and the lifestyle. They say that the influence of socioeconomic determinants on the lifestyle is diminishing in today's western societies. These two theoretical positions could be understood as two opposing hypotheses that should be tested by an empirical research. The empirical core of this paper is based on the marketing research data from survey Market & Media & Lifestyle 2004 (MEDIAN). I construct the typology of lifestyles represented by the patterns of consumption preferences. Four areas of lifestyle preferences are taken into account: culture consumption, eating, travelling and fashion....