The relative influence of consumer socialisation agents on children and adolescents : the impact of stages of internal development and surrounding cultural context

This thesis examines the influence of stages of internal development (measured in the consumer context) in children and adolescents, as well as surrounding cultural context (represented by family structure), on the relative influence of consumer socialisation agents (such as parents, peers and mass media). In total, 300 Indian children between the ages of 6-16 years completed a questionnaire that included both consumer development and consumer socialisation scales. As expected, the three stages of consumer development, which were empirically determined using 13 consumer development indicators, closely matched John’s (1999) conceptual descriptions of stages of consumer socialisation, i.e. Perceptual, Analytical and Reflective. Contrary to expectations, the study results suggested that the relative influence of consumer socialisation agents was able to predict a greater number of developments in the consumer abilities of children and adolescents, as compared to age-related maturation. This could be attributed to the moderating impact of cultural context (family structure) on the antecedents and predictors of consumer development in children and adolescents, namely, age-related maturation and consumer socialisation processes. Age-related maturation was found to be a significant predictor of the relative influence of consumer socialisation agents, especially comparing Adolescence to other age groups. This was confirmed for all the consumer socialisation processes studied, except children’s consumption autonomy. As expected, family structure also impacted significantly upon the relative influence of consumer socialisation agents, especially comparing Nuclear families to Extended types of families. This was confirmed with respect to consumer socialisation processes such as restriction of consumption, children’s consumption autonomy and extent of peer group influence. Further, family structure also had an additional impact on ‘relative influence’, due to its significant interaction with all the consumer socialisation processes, which resulted in ‘cultural’ or ‘contextual’ processes of consumer socialisation. Overall, children and adolescents were impacted by the relative influence of consumer socialisation agents; relative to both their age-related maturation and the family structure in which they are bought up. Although the results were generally consistent with literature and past research, it was suggested that the existing theory on children’s consumer development needs to be modified, taking into account the impact of cultural contexts such as family structure

A real child in a virtual world

International audiencePurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine whether children’s online play and participation in massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPGs) is leading to the development of virtual retail shopping motivations and behaviours. This exploratory study also examines the influence of age-related differences in children’s social and consumer development vs adults and gender on this.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted using two focus groups and ten in-depth interviews with 20 French children between the ages of eight and 12 years.FindingsResults show that children’s online play and participation in MMORPG communities is leading to the development of virtual retail shopping motivations and behaviour through the purchase of virtual tools and accessories by all children using virtual in-game money. But these motivations are very gender specific due to the overarching importance of gender-specific motivations for achievement. Boys engage in virtual retail shopping because they need in-game progress and power gains, while girls engage in virtual retail shopping because they need social status enhancement.Research limitations/implicationsResearch should be conducted on children in different age groups. All aspects of the process and consequences of children’s participation in online gaming communities should be examined more comprehensively. Quantitative research is required. Results may also vary with country and cultural context.Practical implicationsFirst, children between eight and 12 years of age are active consumers (influencers and buyers) for all companies. MMORPGs provide the perfect setting for better understanding of children’s motivations and behaviour regarding virtual retail shopping because they provide virtual in-game money for different achievements that children use to engage in such behaviour. Second, MMORPG companies can benefit by taking into account gender differences in children’s motivations and the importance of the games’ social dimensions and interactions when designing the games.Social implicationsFirst, the risks of playing computer games for children in terms of playing violent games and leading a virtual life must be considered and studied carefully by public policy officials. Second, public policy officials that look into online gaming should take into account gender differences in children’s motivations and the importance of the games’ social dimensions and interactions when monitoring online games. These are issues that are not only developing children’s abilities as social actors but may well be promoting excessive materialism aided by the formation of online peer groups.Originality/valueThis is the first study on children’s online play and participation in MMORPGs in the consumer context and will help us to understand children’s mind-set and motivations for retail activities in this unique retail setting. The study results show that children’s online play and participation in MMORPGs is leading to the development of virtual retail shopping motivations and behaviour that are very gender specific unlike adults

Consumer socialization in childhood and adolescence: Impact of psychological development and family structure

International audienceConsumer socialization theory suggests that as children grow up and become consumers, their processing of cognitive and social stimuli depends on their age and family structure. Parents, peers, and mass media function as socialization agents and constitute the social environment in which children learn to become consumers. This research accordingly predicts several differences in socialization practices according to children's age-related stages of development and socio-cultural contexts (i.e., family structures) and tests these hypotheses in an emerging market context. Findings obtained from Indian children confirm that consumer socialization processes vary with children's ages (early childhood versus adolescence) and family structures (nuclear vs. stem vs. extended). These findings add further insights and nuance to extant considerations of consumer socialization in developed markets

The relative influence of consumer socialization agents on children and adolescents : examining the past and modeling the future

This paper uses an integrated model of ‘relative influence’ to review three decades of consumer socialization research with respect to the relative influence of consumer socialization agents on children and adolescents. The review suggests that psychological developments and culture can be used as antecedents, to model and research ‘relative influence.’ Care should be taken however, to address conceptual and research issues of the past such as (1) lack of conclusive empirical evidence and (2) methodological concerns. Finally, the revised model suggested by the literature is presented

Children as actors of tomorrow’s hypermarket experience

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to see how children aged 7–11 years can become the actors of tomorrow’s hypermarket experience by providing a review of past research on children as retail consumers, with a specific reference to their customer experience. Design/methodology/approach – The literature review will be organised by presenting a “child hypermarket customer experience” model. Finally, a conceptual and methodological critique of past research will be presented followed by the revised model and conclusions. Findings – The literature review finds six independent variables presented in the model: customer satisfaction, in-store conflicts, buying intention, purchase basket value, loyalty and average time spent in store measure a positive hypermarket shopping experience for children. There are then six types of mediators presented in the updated model: type of product, product offering, pocket money amount, environment, technology (games, tablets) and experiential marketing that mediate the impact of these independent variables on children as the actors of tomorrow’s hypermarket experience. Research limitations/implications – This paper is conceptual in nature. Future research should empirically validate the conceptual model developed in the paper for children 7–11 years of age. Practical implications – The conceptual discussion shows that hypermarket managers can use technology such as games and tablets not only to reduce the conflicts between parents and children in hypermarkets but also positively impact on the average time spent in the store. Further, the discussion shows that hypermarket managers can offer children the experience they expect with the use of specific experiential stimuli adapted to children in “children’s aisles” such as toys, children’s clothing, children’s hi-tech and children’s books. They can also theme the experience for children using memorabilia and the engagement of senses. Managerial research should empirically validate this for children 7–11 years of age. Originality/value – This is the first study that conceptually creates a model of children as the actors of tomorrow’s hypermarket experience. This is something that empirically researched will enhance the understanding of young consumers’ behaviour in the retail process in this advanced age of retailing