Becoming sensory disabled: Exploring self-transformation through rites of passage

Anthony Beudaert, Nil Özçağlar-Toulouse and Meltem Türe

Journal of Business Research, 2016, vol. 69, issue 1, 57-64

Abstract: Based on Van Gennep's framework of rites of passage, this research examines the self-transformation process of consumers who acquire a sensory disability. The analysis of 15 in-depth interviews reveals a complex three-stage process. With the onset of disability, individuals experience a forced withdrawal from their consumption activities. This withdrawal gives way to liminality of undetermined duration, nurtured by consumers' memories of the past, sufferings in the present, and fears of the future. Consumers achieve self-transformation by attributing new meanings to their consumption. These results have two contributions: (1) the liminal phase of the rite of passage has a multitemporal structure that might inhibit the formation of a new self and (2) redefining the boundaries of normalcy helps consumers achieve self-transformation.

Keywords: Identity; Normalcy; Sensory disability; Transformation; Vulnerability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296315003112
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:69:y:2016:i:1:p:57-64

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2015.07.020

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Business Research is currently edited by A. G. Woodside

More articles in Journal of Business Research from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().