Adolescent’s perception of his influence on family purchase decisions of personal computer for family use: a consumer socialization perspective

The adolescent is considered a relevant member on family purchases. Despite this, he has been considered less participatory in the decision phase, which is the most important one. The study of the family require a continued and more deeply study, in particular the participation of its members and the extent of such influence in decisions to purchase products, such as personal computer for family use. So, the adolescent’ role is not adequately explained, having often been devalued or relegated. The adolescent tend to have a higher knowledge than his parents for technological items, which can constitute an important resource for participating in those decisions. Furthermore, technological products for family’ use have not yet been adequately researched.
The main purpose of this research is to examine the adolescent’s influence on family purchase decisions of personal computer for family use, and according to the adolescent’s perception, considering a consumer socialization perspective.
In the research empirical phase, several high schools were contacted in Lisbon district, Portugal. 1,000 questionnaires were delivered in classrooms during May 2018. Adolescents were instructed to respond to the questionnaires during classes, and 726 validated questionnaires were returned.
Logistic regression was used and its results point out to parental’ socio-oriented communication style, internet influence, television influence, and family type as relevant explanatory variables of his/her influence on the purchase of personal computer for family use. Results also have shown that, when parents have a higher socio-oriented communication style, adolescent’ will reveal higher influence on personal computer for family. Adolescents with higher levels of internet’ and television’ influence were also positively related to his/her influence on that family purchase. Finally, adolescents’ living in single-parent families will exert higher levels of influence than their counterparts in traditional families. These results are innovative in family purchase decisions’ field of knowledge.
One can find several contributions are made to this area of study. First, the relevance of including the adolescent in purchases for personal computer for family use is reinforced.
Second, when considering personal computer for family use, marketing managers should direct their efforts to those adolescents who live in socio-oriented communication parental style’ environment, to adolescents who are more influenced by internet and television, and to those adolescents living in single-parent families. Those results are innovative in this field of knowledge.
This research contributes significantly to the companies by allowing to conclude that the adolescent has an active participation on family purchase decisions. Once concluding the adolescent has a relevant role on those decisions, it is important that marketing managers focus their efforts on his satisfaction. By considering adolescent’ perceptions on their own influence on that decision, those contributions are reinforce.