When less is more: Exploring the role of silence in consumers’ identity work

Abstract

Consumer identity work refers to the reflexive and ongoing process by which individuals create, manage, and communicate their sense of identity through consumption. Although the literature highlights the strategies by which consumers engage with marketplace resources, less is known about the more internal and reflexive aspects of identity work. In an environment saturated with identity choices and imperatives, our study seeks to understand how consumers’ experiences of silence—defined as the temporary absence of external stimuli—contribute to their identity work. Based on in-depth interviews, we demonstrate that the consumption of silence creates an “in-between space” in the dialectic of identification. Specifically, we show that silence functions as (a) a protective boundary that preserves consumers’ sense of agency from external demands; (b) a symbol of freedom for self-actualization used to present one’s identity; and (c) an inner space for reflection that fosters a transformative internal dialogue.