Advertising materialism & consumption are central aspects of contemporary Western culture. We are bombarded with idealised images of the perfect body desirable consumer goods & affluent lifestyles yet psychology is only just beginning to take account of the profound influence these consumer culture ideals have on individuals sense of identity & worth. Consumer Culture Identity & Well-Being documents the negative psychological impact consumer culture can have on how individuals view themselves & on their emotional welfare. It looks at the social psychological

Dimensions of having buying & wanting material goods as well as the pursuit of media-hyped appearance ideals. In particular it focuses on: The purchasing of material goods as a means of expressing & seeking identity & the negative consequences of this Psychological buying motivations in conventional buying environments & on the Internet The unrealistic socio-cultural beauty ideals embodied by idealized models. Throughout different approaches from social psychology are integrated such as self-completion self-discrepancy & value theory to create a comprehensive theoretical framework for understanding the impact of internalising core consumer culture ideals on how individuals see themselves & the implications this has for their psychological & physical health. Consumer Culture Identity & Well-Being is of interest to anybody who wants to find out more about the psychological effects of living in modern consumer societies on children adolescents & adults. More specifically it will be of interest to students & researchers in social psychology sociology media studies communication & other social sciences as well as to psychologists health workers & practitioners interested in the topics of identity consumption pathologies body image & body-related behaviours.

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This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the issues concepts & theories through which people have tried to understand consumer culture throughout the modern period & puts the current state of thinking into a broader context. Thematically organized the book shows how the central aspects of consumer culture -- such as needs choice identity status alienation objects culture -- have been debated within modern theories from those of earlier thinkers such as Marx & Simmel to contemporary forms of post--structuralism & postmodernism. This approach introduces consumer culture as a subject which -- far from being of narrow or recent interest -- is intimately tied to the central issues of modern times & modern social thought. With its reviews of major theorists set within a full account of the development of the subject this book should be of interest to undergraduate & postgraduate students in the many disciplines which now study consumer culture including communications & cultural studies anthropology & history. ...

This new edition continues to provide a critical introduction to the legal regulation of consumer markets situating it within the context of broader debates about rationales for regulation the role of the state & the growth of neo-liberalism. It draws on interdisciplinary sources assessing for example the increased influence of behavioural economics on consumer law. It analyses the Europeanisation of consumer law & the tensions between neo-liberalism & the social market consumer protection & consumer choice in the establishment of the single market ground rules. The book also assesses national regional & international responses to the world financial crisis as reflected in the regulation of consumer credit markets. This edition incorporates recent legislative & judicial developments of the law blending substantial extracts from primary UK EU & international legal materials. ...

Marketing & consumer research has traditionally conceptualized consumers as individuals
- who exercise choice in the marketplace
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Available in paperback for the first time this new updated & revised second edition of Consumer.ology: the Truth About Consumers & the Psychology of Shopping contains a new introduction & epilogue in which Philip Graves reveals the myriad tricks & psychological games high street shops play on consumers; the ways in which we are manipulated into buying things we don't want; the ways in which we deceive ourselves; & the cutting edge behavioural science being used to change our habits to even more significant degrees. ...

Disease & commerce are among the most powerful forces that have shaped the modern world. They are also closely intertwined: over many centuries trade has been the single most important factor in the spread of diseases throughout the world. In this pathbreaking book Mark Harrison provides the first major historical study of contagious illness & commerce. Beginning with the plagues which ravaged much of Eurasia in the fourteenth century Harrison charts both the passage of disease & measures taken to prevent it. He examines the emergence of public health in the Western world & its subsequent development elsewhere highlighting the persistent abuse of sanitary measures for economic & political gain revealing how quarantines & sanitary embargoes have even become weapons of war. Harrison also traces growing opposition to these practices among merchants medical practitioners & humanitarian reformers & examines the development of international regulations & institutions to govern public health. Drawing on a wealth of original source material from archives & libraries around the world Harrison offers a new & horrifyingly relevant perspective on the history of humanity & the world we inhabit today. ...

Why are some products & ideas talked about more than others? Why do some articles make the most emailed list? Why do some You Tube videos go viral? Word-of-mouth. Whether through face-to-face conversations emails from friends or online product reviews the information & opinions we get from others have a strong impact on our own behaviour. Indeed word-of-mouth generates more than two times the sales of paid advertising & is the primary factor behind 20-50% of all purchasing decisions. It is between 8.5 & 30 times more effective than traditional media. But want to know the best thing about word-of-mouth? Its available to everyone. Whether youre a Fortune 500 company trying to increase sales a corner restaurant trying to raise awareness a non-profit trying to fight obesity or a newbie politician running for city council word-of-mouth can help you succeed. & you dont have to have millions of dollars to spend on an advertising budget. You just have to get people to talk. The challenge though is how to do that. This book will show you how. ...

Keeping plants in containers is a quick & easy way to start gardening
- without spending a fortune. Nowadays there is a wide variety
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What is Contatti? Contatti the best-selling Italian course for adult beginners is aimed at those wishing to learn Italian from scratch in a classroom environment. Contatti 1 is the first part of this two-stage Italian course for adult learners who are either starting from scratch or have a basic knowledge of the language. Whether learning for work or pleasure Contatti gives a thorough grounding in the language enabling learners to speak read write & understand contemporary Italian. How will the Contatti 1 Activity Book help me? The Activity Book is a valuable resource for learners & teachers alike. It can be used to complement the coursebook providing extra material for fast learners or homework activities to consolidate what has been learnt in class. It can also be used for self-access & as a general practice workbook for beginners & false beginners in Italian. It accompanies Contatti 1 the first-stage Italian course for adult learners providing a wealth of material designed to reinforce & extend the material in the coursebook. It mirrors the fourteen units offering a variety of exercises homework tasks & self-access activities to consolidate language input & provide further practice. Each unit contains:
- topics reviewed with further vocabulary & extension activities
- reinforcement & clarification of grammatical structures with additional tasks & exercises
- extra reading material & stimulus to writing The final page in each unit contains an overview of the whole with extra reading & writing activities a short text of cultural interest & a self-assessment checklist enabling students to review what they have learnt. Units 7 & 14 which are revision units provide proficiency tests on all the material covered in previous sections. The book finishes with a complete Answer Key. What is in the Contatti 1 Range? Activity Book (978144139363): Supplementary to the Coursebook or Course Pack. The activity book is a workbook providing stimulating practice material which complements the tasks presented in the Contatti 1 Coursebook. Activities include word searches crosswords cultural quizzes extra reading & comprehension tasks & gap-fill conjugation exercises. Also available as... Coursebook (9781444133141): The primary text for the Contatti 1 course.

Includes:: 14 thematic lessons & covers the skills & structures required at GCSE level & equivalent. Audio & Support book pack (9781444133172): Supplementary to the Coursebook. The Audio & Support book pack provides the listening element of the course along with transcripts & answers. It contains:
- 3 audio CDs (3 hours of recordings)
- 2 Support Books containing a key to the exercises & recording transcripts. Course Pack (9781444133134): Contatti 1 Coursebook + Contatti 1 Audio & Support Book Pack. The Course Pack contains:
- 1 copy of the third edition of the Coursebook
- 3 audio CDs (3 hours of recordings)
- 2 Support Books containing a key to the exercises & recording transcripts. What will I learn with the Contatti 1 range? Key language structures The first part of the course introduces the key structures of the language over 14 thematic lessons with the emphasis placed firmly on communication. Vocabulary & grammar From the outset a realistic range of registers & vocabulary encourage development of the essential skill of comprehension. There are regular opportunities for revision & consolidation & vocabulary & grammar support are given both at the end of each lesson & in full at the end of the book. GCSE level material It covers the skills & structures required at GCSE level & similar. Culture & skills for daily life This third edition has been brought completely up to date with particular attention paid to improving & simplifying the explanations of grammar & language structure. New online content offers further opportunities for learners to practise their skills. How will I learn with the









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Contatti is the best-selling course for anybody wishing to learn Italian whether for work or pleasure. The course offers a thorough grounding in the language & enables you to speak read write & understand contemporary Italian. In Part 2 of the course the emphasis is on communication with modern & authentic reading & listening materials providing the basis for a wide range of interesting activities. The use of English is kept to a minimum but full vocabulary & grammar support are provided. With 2 audio CDs included in the book Contatti 2 is the perfect follow-on for anyone who has already studied the basics of Italian. Contatti 2 is ideal for group study & will also be a useful aid for independent learners. It covers all the skills & structures required to bridge the gap between intermediate & advanced level. Free online practice resources & activities for use in the classroom & for self-study are a valuable addition to the course. A Support Book containing answers to the activities in the Coursebook & transcripts of all the audio content is now available to download for free online. ...