Children as agents of secondary socialisation for their parents

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the body of knowledge associated with consumer socialisation. The authors investigate how children function as socialisation agents for their parents in influencing their purchase intentions of computer and high-tech products - essentially the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Young consumers 2011-11, Vol.12 (4), p.285-294
Main Authors: Watne, Torgeir, Lobo, Antonio, Brennan, Linda
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Attitudes
Behavior
Cellular telephones
Children & youth
Consumer behavior
Consumers
Families & family life
Knowledge
Marketing
Parents & parenting
Power
Socialization
Society
Studies
Young adults
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Summary:Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the body of knowledge associated with consumer socialisation. The authors investigate how children function as socialisation agents for their parents in influencing their purchase intentions of computer and high-tech products - essentially the idea of the young educating the old.Design methodology approach - A review of the extant literature relating to consumer socialisation, social power and knowledge about computer related and small high-tech products yielded meaningful hypotheses. A structured survey which was required to be completed by dyads (i.e. children and parents) was mailed to Australian families in the state of Victoria. Data obtained from 180 usable responses from the dyads were analysed to test the hypotheses.Findings - Children are seen to possess expert power over their parents with regards to computer related and small high-tech products; which make them an important agent of secondary socialisation for their parents. Men are perceived as being more knowledgeable than women, a phenomenon which leads mothers to be more inclined to seek their children's (son's in particular) advice.Research limitations implications - This study implies that when children are seen as experts by their parents, they become important agents of secondary socialisation. However, this only relates to the consumption of the product categories studied here. Future research needs to include other product categories in order to assess the validity of the measures.Practical implications - Marketers of computer related and small high-tech products can benefit from the findings when promoting these products to children and parents.Originality value - This research study is unique in Australia and possibly globally.
ISSN:1747-3616
1758-7212
DOI:10.1108/17473611111185841