Short answer
Consider how the material choices and environmental design of a product or service can enable users to perform and communicate their desired social identity.
- Field
- Innovation & Design
- Source
- Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (University of Maryland College Park) (2017)
- Method
- Archaeological excavation and artifact analysis
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
The artifacts and material culture from historical hospitality sites reveal how middle-class identity was constructed and performed through consumption and the adoption of specific social values. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2017 study published in Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (University of Maryland College Park). Using Archaeological excavation and artifact analysis, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Consider how the material choices and environmental design of a product or service can enable users to perform and communicate their desired social identity.
Material Culture Reflects Evolving Middle-Class Identity and Consumerism
The artifacts and material culture from historical hospitality sites reveal how middle-class identity was constructed and performed through consumption and the adoption of specific social values.
Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (University of Maryland College Park) · 2017
Key Findings
- 01The material culture of vacation sites served as a stage for the performance of middle-class respectability.
- 02The development of the middle class was intertwined with the growth of industrial capitalism and consumer markets.
- 03Holiday houses for working women and their benefactors also utilized material culture to reinforce social hierarchies and values.
- 04Artifacts provide tangible evidence of how individuals negotiated their identities within specific socio-economic structures.
Application
Design takeaway
Consider how the material choices and environmental design of a product or service can enable users to perform and communicate their desired social identity.
How to apply
When designing a new product or service, research the historical or contemporary material culture associated with the target user's aspirational identity and consider how your design can align with or enhance these expressions.
Project actions
- 01When researching a product, look at the objects and environments associated with the user's lifestyle and aspirations.
- 02Consider how your design can help users express their identity or social standing.
- 03Think about the 'performance' aspect of product use – how does the user present themselves when using your design?
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Unique archaeological focus on hospitality sites and women's holiday houses.
- +Integration of theoretical frameworks (Third Space, performativity) with material evidence.
Limitations
The artifacts are from a specific historical period and location, so direct comparisons to modern contexts may be limited. The interpretation of 'respectability' is culturally and historically specific.
Reliability & validity
Reliability would be enhanced by having multiple archaeologists independently categorize and interpret artifacts. Validity is supported by the triangulation of archaeological evidence with historical records and theoretical frameworks.
Think critically
To what extent does the pursuit of 'respectability' through consumption still drive design choices today, and how does this differ from the historical context studied?
Design Principles
"Material possessions and environments are performative tools for identity construction and social signaling."
Understanding how past societies used material goods to signify identity and belonging offers valuable insights for contemporary design. Designers can learn from how products and environments were used to communicate social status and values, informing strategies for creating products that resonate with target audiences and foster desired perceptions.
What This Means for Your Design
Old hotels and holiday houses show us that the things people owned and used helped them show they were 'respectable' middle-class. This was part of how capitalism grew, by selling things people wanted to own to feel a certain way.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this research to justify the importance of understanding user identity and social context in your design process.
- 2.Refer to this study when discussing how material culture influences user perception and behavior.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This research by Springate (2017) highlights how material culture, such as artifacts from historical hospitality sites, served as a critical tool for individuals to construct and perform middle-class identities within the context of emerging consumer capitalism. This underscores the importance of considering how contemporary designs can similarly enable users to express their desired social identities and affiliations.
Source
Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (University of Maryland College Park)
Respectable Holidays: The Archaeology of Capitalism and Identities at the Crosbyside Hotel (c. 1870-1902) and Wiawaka Holiday House (mid-1910s-1929), Lake George, New York
journal · 2017
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about material culture reflects evolving middle-class identity and consumerism?
- Consider how the material choices and environmental design of a product or service can enable users to perform and communicate their desired social identity. Evidence: Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (University of Maryland College Park) (2017).
- Why does "Material Culture Reflects Evolving Middle-Class Identity and Consumerism" matter for design?
- Understanding how past societies used material goods to signify identity and belonging offers valuable insights for contemporary design. Designers can learn from how products and environments were used to communicate social status and values, informing strategies for creating products that resonate with target audiences and foster desired perceptions.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Consider how the material choices and environmental design of a product or service can enable users to perform and communicate their desired social identity.
- What were the main findings?
- The material culture of vacation sites served as a stage for the performance of middle-class respectability.. The development of the middle class was intertwined with the growth of industrial capitalism and consumer markets.. Holiday houses for working women and their benefactors also utilized material culture to reinforce social hierarchies and values.. Artifacts provide tangible evidence of how individuals negotiated their identities within specific socio-economic structures.
- What research method was used?
- Archaeological excavation and artifact analysis.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2017 journal from Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (University of Maryland College Park).
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing a new product or service, research the historical or contemporary material culture associated with the target user's aspirational identity and consider how your design can align with or enhance these expressions.
- What are the limitations?
- The interpretation of artifact meaning is subject to the theoretical framework used and the preservation state of the materials. The specific historical context may not directly translate to all modern design challenges.