ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews different methods of analysis and decision making as they apply to theoretical lifestyle studies. To understand the entire realm of lifestyles one extends its study to four areas: psychological, sociological, cultural, and homoeconomics. A study of individuality that characterizes the psychological component may clash with the sociological approach. The two traditions: psychobehavioral and psychosociological grew out of academics, as opposed to empirical-deductive approaches that stem from sociophenomenological or sociodynamic traditions. The Yankelovich Monitor, the system of the Center for Advanced Communication (CCA), COFREMCA, and the systematic survey conducted each year by the Agorametrics association all of these reflect a desire to expand upon the various traditions of lifestyle studies. In Europe, the RISC network, developed by De Vulpian, has examined the changing trends of ten general sociocultural issues. Based on American studies, two companies perform continuing surveys of lifestyles: the Yankelovich, Skelly, and White Monitor Service and the Stanford Research Institutes Value and Lifestyle Survey (VALS).
