Naive, connected, and counselor tween girl identity groups: Consumption practices and social identity constructions within consumer culture

Abstract

This research identifies the relationship between consumption practices and the construction of social identity among tweens in a Brazilian context. Using consumer culture theory and social identity theory, we employed 80 h of observation, 9 interviews, and projective techniques with fifteen girls. Three social identity groups were acknowledged: naive, connected, and counselors. These groups revealed different identity projects, such as the integration and maintenance within the social group of current belonging, the access to the social group with the greater distinctions, the generation of differentiable and positive distinctions (both intra- and intergroups), and the expression and consolidation of identity and its respective consumption practices. This research contributes to the consumption literature that relates to consumer identity projects. The findings reveal a current resignification of girlhood and exposes tweens’ consumption practices as a direct mechanism of the expression and construction of their social identities. These are mechanisms of social identity construction as mediated by group relations through the processes of access, maintenance, integration, differentiation, and distinction.

The lab, land, and longing: Discursive constructions of Australian identities in ‘future’ food consumption

“…During the focus groups, two moderators asked participants about how the technologies made them feel, including the roles of the technologies/foods, emotions, and interactions to elicit discourses about identities (Weber and Francisco Maffezzolli, 2021). Discussion flowed naturally and the use of online focus groups did not hinder this.…”

“…Differing social identity formations may be formed broadly under certain identity markers that provide self-reference guidance (i.e. ethnicity, nationality, social class, and age) (Weber and Francisco Maffezzolli, 2021;Tajfel, 1978;Reicher et al, 2010). For instance, consumers have been shown to engage in food waste initiatives as forms of engaging in civic identities for change (Keegan and Breadsell, 2021).…”

“…Social identity theory has been recognised as central to the construction of the self (Belk, 1988; Papaoikonomou et al, 2016; Weber and Francisco Maffezzolli, 2021). Social identity is defined as an ‘individual’s knowledge that he [they] belong to certain social groups together with some emotional and value significance to him [them] of this group membership’ (Tajfel, 1972: p. 292).…”

Formation mechanism of contributors’ self-identity based on social identity in online knowledge communities

“…In virtual communities, individuals’ perception of similarity among members is expressed concretely by the belief that group members have common goals, interests, and values. When individuals develop stronger positive emotions toward the group, the status of the group in the individual’s mind is improved, resulting in a stronger connection between group characteristics or images and the individual’s self-concept ( Easterbrook and Vignoles, 2013 ; Weber and Maffezzolli, 2021 ). Due to the anonymity and temporal separation of virtual communities, individuals’ perceptions of other members are often based on a vague impression; that is, individuals’ perceptions of other members are often based on an overall impression of the group ( Ren et al, 2007 ).…”