Consumer Behavior 101: Family and Household - Children as Consumers Socialization Pester Power

What It Is

Children as consumers is a significant aspect of consumer behavior, particularly in the context of socialization and pester power. Socialization refers to the process by which children learn to adopt the values, attitudes, and behaviors of their culture and family. Pester power, on the other hand, is the influence children exert on their parents to purchase products or services. A notable example of pester power is the McDonald's Happy Meal, which was specifically designed to appeal to children and their parents. The Happy Meal's success demonstrates the importance of understanding children as consumers in marketing strategy.

Key Terms & Concepts

• Socialization: The process by which children learn to adopt the values, attitudes, and behaviors of their culture and family. (Example: Children learn to value cleanliness by watching their parents clean the house regularly.)
• Pester Power: The influence children exert on their parents to purchase products or services. (Example: A child repeatedly asking their parent to buy a toy they want.)
• Classical Conditioning: A learning process in which a neutral stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit an unconditioned response. (Example: Ivan Pavlov's experiment with dogs and bells.)
• Operant Conditioning: A learning process in which behavior is modified by its consequences, such as rewards or punishments. (Example: B.F. Skinner's experiment with rats and operant conditioning chambers.)
• Actual Self: A person's current self-concept, including their attitudes, values, and behaviors. (Example: A child's actual self is influenced by their family and social environment.)
• Ideal Self: A person's desired self-concept, including their aspirations and goals. (Example: A child's ideal self may be influenced by media and celebrity role models.)
• Need Recognition: The process by which consumers become aware of a need or want. (Example: A child recognizes their need for a new toy after seeing an advertisement.)
• Opportunity Recognition: The process by which consumers become aware of a product or service that can satisfy a need or want. (Example: A child recognizes an opportunity to buy a new toy at a store.)
• Cognitive Development: The process by which children develop their thinking and problem-solving abilities. (Example: Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development.)
• Marketing to Children: The practice of designing products, services, and marketing campaigns to appeal to children. (Example: The use of cartoon characters and colorful packaging in children's food products.)
• Children's Consumer Culture: The culture and values that children learn and adopt through their interactions with products, services, and media. (Example: The influence of social media on children's consumer culture.)
• Parent-Child Relationship: The relationship between a parent and child, which can influence children's consumer behavior. (Example: A parent's influence on a child's purchasing decisions.)
• Consumer Socialization: The process by which children learn to become effective consumers. (Example: A child learning to compare prices and make informed purchasing decisions.)
• Marketing Mix: The combination of product, price, promotion, and place strategies used to market a product or service. (Example: A company's marketing mix for a children's toy.)

Common Misunderstandings

• Misunderstanding: Children are not influenced by advertising.
• Correction: Children are highly susceptible to advertising, particularly if it is designed to appeal to their cognitive and emotional needs. (Example: A study by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that children as young as two years old can recognize and respond to brand logos and advertising.)
• Misunderstanding: Children do not have the cognitive ability to understand marketing messages.
• Correction: Children as young as three years old can understand simple marketing messages and make purchasing decisions. (Example: A study by the Journal of Consumer Research found that children as young as three years old can understand and respond to simple marketing messages.)
• Misunderstanding: Parents are not influenced by their children's pester power.
• Correction: Parents are often influenced by their children's pester power, particularly if it is persistent and well-reasoned. (Example: A study by the Journal of Marketing found that parents are more likely to give in to their children's pester power if it is accompanied by a well-reasoned argument.)

Quick Application / Identification

Scenario: A child asks their parent to buy a new toy that they saw advertised on TV. What concept is at play here?

Answer: Pester Power. Explanation: The child is exerting influence on their parent to purchase a product, which is a classic example of pester power.

Scenario: A child learns to value cleanliness by watching their parent clean the house regularly. What concept is at play here?

Answer: Socialization. Explanation: The child is learning to adopt the values and behaviors of their culture and family through socialization.

Scenario: A company designs a new product to appeal to children's cognitive and emotional needs. What concept is at play here?

Answer: Marketing to Children. Explanation: The company is designing a product to appeal to children's cognitive and emotional needs, which is a key aspect of marketing to children.

Last?Minute Revision

• Socialization: The process by which children learn to adopt the values, attitudes, and behaviors of their culture and family.
• Pester Power: The influence children exert on their parents to purchase products or services.
• Classical Conditioning: A learning process in which a neutral stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit an unconditioned response.
• Operant Conditioning: A learning process in which behavior is modified by its consequences, such as rewards or punishments.
• Actual Self: A person's current self-concept, including their attitudes, values, and behaviors.
• Ideal Self: A person's desired self-concept, including their aspirations and goals.
• Need Recognition: The process by which consumers become aware of a need or want.
• Opportunity Recognition: The process by which consumers become aware of a product or service that can satisfy a need or want.
• Cognitive Development: The process by which children develop their thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Marketing to Children: The practice of designing products, services, and marketing campaigns to appeal to children.
• Children's Consumer Culture: The culture and values that children learn and adopt through their interactions with products, services, and media.
• Parent-Child Relationship: The relationship between a parent and child, which can influence children's consumer behavior.
• Consumer Socialization: The process by which children learn to become effective consumers.
• Marketing Mix: The combination of product, price, promotion, and place strategies used to market a product or service.
• Ivan Pavlov: A Russian physiologist who developed the theory of classical conditioning.
• B.F. Skinner: An American psychologist who developed the theory of operant conditioning.
• Jean Piaget: A Swiss psychologist who developed the theory of cognitive development.
• American Academy of Pediatrics: A professional organization that has studied the effects of advertising on children.
• Journal of Consumer Research: A peer-reviewed journal that has published research on children's consumer behavior.
• Journal of Marketing: A peer-reviewed journal that has published research on marketing to children.