Postmodern society and the individual: The structural characteristics of postmodern society and how they shape who we think we are

Abstract

The notion that personality is pluralistic and not a rigid construct is widely acknowledged within the social sciences. However, factors affecting multiplicity outside of clinical enquiry are still poorly understood. The idea that postmodern society has influenced how the individual conceives of their self-concept is frequently discussed, however, seldom theorized and empirically inspected. This study tests a number of psycho-sociological hypotheses that being immersed within consumption and part of a technology-based culture are contributing factors to self-pluralism. Data is collected from 201 individuals living in postmodern societies. Results indicate that technology exposure and materialistic beliefs are related to levels of self-pluralism and that materialism plays a partial mediatory role in technology's influence on multiplicity. These findings add support to postmodern understandings of the self and society and show everyday experiences associated with modern living influence how one conceives of their identity.

Keywords:

• Materialism
• Multiplicity
• Postmodernity
• Self-concept
• Technology