Cultural Construction of Women as Subjects - Coursework Example

What Might Womens "Shopping Disorders"(Shoplifting And Compulsive Buying; Being A Difficult Tell Us About The Cultural Construction Of Women As Subjects? Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Discussion 4 Consumerism and Its Effect on the Society 4 Psychoanalytical Effects on Shopping Disorders 5 Tendency of Shoplifting and Women 6 Shopping Disorders and the Society 8 Conclusion 9 References 11 Introduction Socialization is a manner in which people belonging from a community interact or behaves with one another. In the present era, it is evident that there is a huge shift in the processes of socialization. Despite of such changes there has been a huge differentiation in the mode of socialization based on the gender biases. These biases in the modes of socialization have been effectively affecting the cognitive development of women (Ely & et. al., 2011; Crespi, n.d.). Furthermore, today the consumption pattern directly relates with their social status of the people. This tendency of shopping has been hugely affecting the mental status of women who have been longing for developing their social status. Correspondingly, women in order to develop their social recognition and status have taken up shopping as a mode. This has further paved ways to development of certain disorders. One such imbalance that is highly debatable in the present era is “shopping disorders” in women. The shopping disorder is clinically identified as a spending tendency or “shopaholism”. Many psychotherapists are of the opinion that the cultural consideration of women as a subject has further affected their development and identity (Minsky, 2000). This lack of social recognition in comparison to the male counterparts of the society has in turn influenced the tendency of compulsive buying among women. With this regard, the essay explains the cultural construction of women as subjects and the influence of the same on the “shopping disorders” among women. Discussion Consumerism and Its Effect on the Society The change in the societal set up has largely affected the consumption pattern of the society. There has been a huge shift in the approaches of determining the consumption pattern of a consumer. The need for consumption has also shifted from its initial phase. In the primitive era, shopping has been a need whereas through the shift in the social setting shopping today has become a pleasure. Minsky (2000) claims that today consumers buy products to develop their social status and to get recognition in the society. Consumption has been both a physical as well as a psychological need that is predominant within the consumption trend of the society. Conversely, social status is directly linked with consumption pattern in the new era, which made compulsive buying a trend. This aspect is backed by the development of different global marketing trends that has in turn influenced a concept of ‘marketing for desire’. Observably, open market provides a range of conglomerate products, which adds to the shopping interest of the consumer. Therefore, this concept gave way to a new phenomenon of shopping for pleasure among women (Minsky, 2000). The changing trend of consumerism has been largely eroding off the other identities that the society used to enjoy within a culture. The era of consumerism have been inflicting a tendency of fragmentation, dislocation and increasing a sense of disconnection within the society. Moreover, the development of social recognition has affected the normative infrastructure of the society. The changed syndrome has been negatively affecting the psychological development and affecting the socialization patterns (Ebert, 2012). This negative hindrance has been distressing the traditional set up of the society, which alienated women from the society. Likewise, the changed societal setting affects the social status of women from their previous positioning. Correspondingly, this lack of self-realization largely affects their cognitive development and enhances their tendency to develop their social status (Bennett, 2005). In this context, there has been a huge influence of media in the social life and status of the people. In the present day, media forms a larger section of the life of the people. People are highly influenced by the products displayed in the television and are inclined towards incorporating the same in their lifestyle (Gauntlett & Hill, 1999). Particularly, the different products displayed through the different media majorly influence women who are mostly into the socialization through different communicating media. This has further influenced their shopping habits and shopping disorders like compulsive buying (Seiter, 2002). Psychoanalytical Effects on Shopping Disorders Shopping is a tendency among the consumers to buy new and different products. The intent to purchase products is a habitual and innate tendency among the consumers irrespective of gender. This act of buying has increased in terms of quantity and frequency in the globalised world. This increased state of consuming has pointed towards the development of a psychological disorder. The tendency of buying among the consumers is later identified to be clinical disorders that prompted consumers to buy products unknowingly. This tendency is also termed as a compulsive buying behavior. Women have been portrayed as shopaholic through media (Workman, 2010; Gauntlett & Hill, 1999). In this context, women due to the negative impact of media lack social recognition and suffer from different psychological disorders like compulsive buying and shoplifting. Many women who suffer from hysteria and other disorders are highly affected by the lack of social recognition due to their negative portrayal in the society through media (Bennett, 2005; Gauntlett & Hill, 1999). The commodity fetishism has developed a syndrome among consumers to buy goods both consciously as well as unconsciously. Moreover, consumption pattern decides the social status of the consumer. Specifically, women tend to become shopaholic owing to their failure to meet their need of social recognition. The lack of recognition instigates women to be hysteric and suffer from separate clinical disorders related to their buying patterns. Hence, these compulsive buying disorders are largely observed to be a clinical syndrome that gives rise to several other tendencies among women. Many psychologists identify these tendencies to be an outcome of their lack of recognition in the society (Caputo, 2008). Notably, the impacts of the different media have also been influencing their buying patterns and have developed their tendency to buy more goods than that are actually required. Furthermore, women to socialize rigorously like men they tend to incorporate things whatever they see in the television. Television is influential and affects the cognitive of women largely. This trend has been instigating women to conduct compulsive buying further enhancing their tendency to shop (Simon, 2000). Tendency of Shoplifting and Women The kleptomaniac tendencies are uniquely present among both the gender. This psychological disorder is majorly present among the people who have a tendency to steal. However, large number of women is involved in the act of shoplifting at the different level of the society. Caputo (2008) stated that the criminal records of a women starts from a certain point and situation of life and continues in a contingent way. Many women who have been into the habit of shoplifting are committing such crimes under the addiction of drugs or other intoxication whereas other commits such crimes depending on their psychological disorders and influence of media. The tendency of women to prove their social status has been a driving force to commit such crimes at large. Moreover, media portrays the fact that social status and recognition of women depend upon their possession. This aspect of social media has increased consumerism that has been affecting the different approaches of socialization (Minsky, 2000; Gauntlett & Hill, 1999). This change in the societal setting has directly related consumerism with the social status of the person. The possession that a person has reflects his or her social status. This tendency has been largely influencing many crimes. Therefore, women who want to establish their social status are ready to commit such crimes if they are not able to attain their desired goods due to lack of financial support (Caputo, 2008). According to Bowlby (2006), different contemporary conceptualization of shopping has been inflicting varied tendencies among the consumers. Additionally, the influence of media has been largely affecting the consumption pattern of women. . This influence has also integrated dynamism in changing the needs of consumers, which influences their buying decision. Another aspect that has been observed is the tendency of the middle class women regarding shoplifting as they are more influenced through media. This tendency reflects that women in order to enhance their social status are majorly inclined towards increasing their possession. The lack of social identification can be broadly identified to be a feminine notion and this aspect has highly influenced their tendency to commit these crimes. There has been a sheer influence of gender on the different social crimes committed. Specifically, the middle class women are committing such crimes based on their notion to develop their social status towards the society (Simpson, 1991). Shopping Disorders and the Society Shopping disorders have been highly influencing the society. Specifically, different inquisitive nature among women creates huge difficulty among the market decision maker to decide a complete trend of the market. Moreover, the different trends of the market are observed to be very difficult if it is designed on a gender-biased manner. This trend has been affecting the different consumption patterns and behavioral decision at large. With further development of the globalised market, there has been a tendency among the consumers to avail different products. However, the behavior of the women has been observed to be more complex than the male sections of the society. The availability of products in the globalised world has further affected their tendencies to buy more products than they have only desired. These tendencies among the women are affecting the marketing decision as well as the society (Caputo, 2008). Correspondingly, the influence of media has been affecting the decision making process of consumers and their shopping habits. Women being alienated from the society can be easily molded and influenced by the media. Additionally, the different tendencies like compulsive buying have been affecting the society by creating an unreal demand. This demand is further affecting the economy, as women tend to consume more goods than that is required. Moreover, the influences of the media have also been affecting the consumption pattern and the economy at large (Simon, 2000). Correspondingly, the different shoplifting tendencies among women are also affecting the market and the societal image of women. The retail crimes have been a cultural phenomenon and have been affecting the consumer decision making in the broader domain. This economic as well as cultural set up of the society has been pointing towards the development of different societal set up and decision making at large. This tendency among the different consumers is also distressing the concept based consumer realties that are largely influencing the decision making of the market. This tendency of shoplifting is also observed to be degenerating the social status of women and has been developing a negative impact on the development of the society. Observably, the increasing amount of the consumption of drug and other intoxication are observed to be having a very negating impact on the society. Correspondingly, this approach has been affecting the social life of women. By developing this socializing tendency, different approaches and cultural system are being affected. This further affects the development of the society and women by creating gender biases (Bamfield, 2012). Conclusion In the present day society, the concept of socialization has changed to a considerable extent due to the influence of media. Different influences like the commercialization and influences of media have been affecting the lifestyle of the people as well. Women being socially secluded class are majorly influenced through media. This has further influenced the approaches of women towards shopping. Women in order to develop their social status have been enhancing their shopping trend as they have a perceived belief that their valuable possessions would develop their recognition in the society. The influence of the different media as well as the different trends has also been affecting their development of psychoanalytical syndrome that is likely to influence their shopping patterns. The tendency of committing such crimes among women is the influence either of media or due to certain psychological disorder that have been pushing them into committing such crimes. Furthermore, the effect of the different status quo has influenced women to prove their presence in the society by indulging into certain unfair means. This has largely been affecting the society and has been influencing the different sections of the society to decide accordingly. References Bamfield, J., 2012. Shopping and Crime. Palgrave Macmillan. Baxter, C. J., 2008. An Irresistible Temptation: The True Story of Jane New and a Colonial Scandal. Allen & Unwin. Bennett, D., 2005. Getting the Id to Go Shopping: Psychoanalysis, Advertising, Barbie Dolls, and the Invention of the Consumer Unconscious. Public Culture, Vol. 17. No. 1, pp. 1-25. Bowlby, R., 2006. Shopping with Freud. Routledge. Caputo, G. A., 2008. Out in the Storm: Drug-addicted Women Living as Shoplifters and Sex Workers. UPNE. Camhi, L., 1993 Stealing Femininity: Department Store Kleptomania as Sexual Disorder. Journal of Feminist and Critical Studies, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 1-45. Crespi, H., No Date. Socialization and Gender Roles within the Family: A Study on Adolescents and Their Parents in Great Britain. Department of Sociology, Vol. 3, pp. 1-8. Ebert, N., 2012. 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