본 연구는 새로운 것을 추구하고 개성과 이미지를 중요시하는 일부 농어촌 지역에 소재한 대학교의 재학생을 대상으로 다양한 라이프스타일 유형과 외모관리행동의 차이를 알아보고, 확고한 관계가 정립될 수 있도록 기초자료를 수집하고자 2018년 5월부터 6월까지 자기기입식 설문조사를 실시하였고, 설문작성이 미완성되거나 응답이 불분명한 자료를 제외한 총 617부의 설문지를 회수, 분석하였다. 설문 문항은 일반적 특성, 라이프스타일, 외모관리행동으로 구성하였다. 라이프스타일과 외모관리행동 측정 도구의 타당도를 알아보기 위해 상관행렬을 이용, 주축인자법을 이용한 탐색적 요인분석을 실시하였고, 측정 도구의 신뢰도를 알아보기 위하여 Cronbach’s α 방법을 이용하여 검정하였다. 일반적 특성에 따른 라이프스타일 차이에서 학년은 패션 민감형, 정보 추구형, 알뜰구매 추구형에서 유의한 차이가 나타났으며, 패션 민감형과 정보 추구형은 4학년이 1학년보다 높았고, 정보 추구형은 4학년이 3학년과 1학년보다 높았다. 전공계열에서는 정보 추구형에서 인문계열과 사범계열이 이공/의학/보건계열보다 높았다. 패션 민감형에서는 50만원 이상과 31~50만원이 30만원 이하보다 높았고, 알뜰구매 추구형은 30만원 이하가 50만원 이상과 31~50만원 보다 높았다. 투자비용에서 패션 민감형은 20만원 이상과 11~20만원이 6~10만원과 5만원 이하보다 높았고, 상표 추구형은 11∼20만원, 20만원 이상, 6~10만원이 5만원 이하보다 높았고, 알뜰구매 추구형은 5만원 이하가 11~20만원과 20만원 이상보다 높았다. 일반적 특성에 따른 외모관리행동 차이에서 성별은 총체적 외모관리와 외적 자존감, 유행추구, 부가적 외모관리에서 유의한 차이가 나타났고, 총체적 외모관리와 유행추구, 부가적 외모관리에서는 여자가 남자보다 높았고, 외적 자존감은 남자가 여자보다 높았다. 총체적 외모관리는 4학년이 3학년과 1학년보다 높았고, 2학년이 1학년보다 높았고, 외적 자존감은 3학년, 4학년, 1학년이 2학년보다 높았으며, 유행추구는 4학년이 1학년보다 높았다. 총체적 외모관리는 사범계열과 인문계열이 이공/의학/보건계열보다 높았고, 부가적 외모관리는 인문계열과 사범계열이 이공/의학/보건계열보다 높았다. 이상의 결과 라이프스타일과 외모관리행동 간의 관계가 정립될 수 있도록 대학생의 라이프스타일에 따른 외모관리행동의 차이를 알아보는 연구를 통해 소비행동에 대한 유용한 정보를 제공할 수 있는 방안모색이 필요할 것으로 사료된다.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in lifestyles and appearance management behaviors of students at universities in rural communities, who pursue new ideas and value individuality and collect basic data that could help establish a definite relationship between lifestyle and behavior regarding managing their appearance; for this purpose, a self-administered survey was performed from May to June 2018 and a total of 617 questionnaires were returned and analyzed, with the exception of incomplete ones and those having insincere answers. The items in the questionnaire concerned general characteristics, lifestyles, and appearance management behaviors. Exploratory factor analysis based on principal factor analysis was performed using a correlation matrix to validate the lifestyle and appearance management behavior inventories; Cronbach’s α was estimated to determine reliability of the inventories. As for the differences in lifestyles by the general characteristics, fashion sensitivity, pursuit of information, and levels of frugality differed significantly by grade: seniors were more sensitive to fashion and were more likely to pursue information than freshmen, sophomores, and even juniors. Those studying humanities and in education majors were more likely to pursue information than those in science, engineering, medicine, and health courses. The respondents having more than 500,000 won and those having 310,000 to 500,000 won were more sensitive to fashion than those having ≤300,000 won; those having ≤300,000 won were more likely to pursue frugal purchases than those having more than 500,000 won and those having 310,000 to 500,000 won. The respondents investing more than 200,000 won and those investing 110,000 to 200,000 won were more sensitive to fashion than those investing 60,000 to 100,000 won and those investing ≤50,000 won; those investing 110,000 to 200,000 won, those investing more than 200,000 won, and those investing 60,000 to 100,000 won were more likely to pursue recognized brands than those investing ≤50,000 won; and those investing ≤50,000 won were more likely to pursue frugal purchases than those investing 110,000 to 200,000 won and those investing more than 200,000 won. As for the variation in appearance management behaviors by general characteristics, appearance management in general, external self-esteem, following trends, and additional appearance management differed significantly by gender: women were more likely to prioritize appearance management in general, following trends, and additional appearance management than men and men tended to have higher external self-esteem than women. Seniors were more likely to manage their appearance in general more than juniors and freshmen, and sophomores were likewise more likely than freshmen; juniors, seniors, and freshmen had higher external self-esteem than sophomores; and seniors were more likely to pursue a trend than freshmen. Teaching and humanities courses were more likely to follow appearance management in general than those in science, engineering, medicine, and health courses; humanities and teaching/education courses were more likely to make additional appearance management than those enrolled in science, engineering, medicine, and health courses. On the basis of these results, it is necessary to make a plan for providing enterprises with useful information about consumer behaviors through research on the variation in appearance management behaviors by lifestyle in university students so that the association between lifestyle and behavior regarding appearance management can be defined.