Symbolic Consumption by Teenagers: A Discussion through the Optics of Appearance and Identity
Khaoula Jemli Khallouli, Abderrazak Gharbi

Abstract
This research focus on a particular segment of consumers: the teenagers. Given that teenagers try to build their identity by showing their preference to fashion’s objects, this research investigate the interaction of the duality appearance-identity, which allows apprehending the behaviour of the adolescent consumer. This article present then, a literature review showing how the teenagers express their relation to the world by producing their appearance through symbolic consumption. Considering the cognitive approach would be unsuited to explain this behavior of consumption, we present the semiotic approach which could contribute to clarify the symbolic aspects of consumption, by looking for the meaning of the objects for these specific consumers.

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