The Role of Identity in Disposal: Lessons From Mothers' Disposal of Children's Products

The research question that this study asks is: How are we what we dispose of? The study uses in-depth interviews with mothers to answer this question by building a new model of disposal and identity. The interview findings demonstrate that disposal is a consumer behavior that is used to build, maintain, and signal both individual and social identity. Complexities, conflicts and coping strategies are an inherent part of disposal as an identity marker. And the boundaries between disposal and consumption are more permeable and fluid than previously supposed by theory. In short, this study brings together the a priori themes of disposal, identity, and motherhood, to present new insights into each of these three areas critical to consumer behavior research.

Citation:

Barbara Phillips and Trina Sego (2011) ,"The Role of Identity in Disposal: Lessons From Mothers' Disposal of Children's Products", in E - European Advances in Consumer Research Volume 9, eds. Alan Bradshaw, Chris Hackley, and Pauline Maclaran, Duluth, MN : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 520.