Executive summary of “Mother-adolescent daughter identity interplay processes”

Citation

(2015), "Executive summary of “Mother-adolescent daughter identity interplay processes”", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 32 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCM-06-2015-023

Executive summary of “Mother-adolescent daughter identity interplay processes”

Article Type: Executive summary and implications for managers and executives From: Journal of Consumer Marketing, Volume 32, Issue 4

This summary has been provided to allow managers and executives a rapid appreciation of the content of this article. Those with a particular interest in the topic covered may then read the article in toto to take advantage of the more comprehensive description of the research undertaken and its results to get the full benefits of the material present.

In the USA, adolescents account for an increasing amount of the billions of dollars spent on retail sales. Important within this growing segment are teenage girls, who are estimated to spend around 40 per cent of their money on clothing.

Shopping to buy the latest fashions represents an enjoyable pastime for adolescent females. Many will share the experience with friends, who can influence the choice of where to shop, length of stay and what is purchased. Some teen girls choose their mother as a shopping partner. The rising tendency toward mothers as shopping companions has prompted leading retailers like Old Navy, Sears and H&M to engage in various initiatives aimed at encouraging mothers to be involved in this way.

Such experiences are seen as a valuable part of the consumer socialization process, which begins when children are much younger. A tendency exists within the research community to regard adolescents as one group, while in reality considerable differences exist between early and later teenage years. One of the main issues during early adolescence is the development of an individual identity that often results in conflict between a child and his or her parents. These clashes tend to lessen between the ages of 15 and 18 as parents come to accept or adjust to their child’s sense of self.

Adolescents tend to have greater influence on shopping decisions, especially with items which they will consume. Mothers essentially create an identity for sons and daughters during their childhood. Buying clothes offers a way for a teenage girl to move away from this identity and express her uniqueness. The process involved in choosing and purchasing clothes can therefore prompt considerable conflict between a mother and her offspring. Studies contend that a mother-daughter relationship will flourish more if a balance can be found between the mother’s desire to provide ongoing support while recognizing the teenager’s need for autonomy. Shopping is a context that can simultaneously enable both these goals. Supporting her daughter’s purchase decisions enables the mother to nurture the teenager, who can express her independence through the choices she makes.

Gillison et al. examine these issues in a study conducted in the USA and involving interviews with teenage girls, mothers of teenage girls and employees of retailers targeting adolescent consumers. A snowball technique involving friends or acquaintances was used to recruit participants. To capture a sample representative of different stages of adolescence, the survey recruited both middle-school and high-school participants. The age range of girls was 11 to 18, while mothers were aged between 35 and 53. Some girls and their mothers were interviewed together, while separate discussions took place with others. In the latter case, some girls and mothers were unrelated. Removal of the potential influence from the other party prompted the decision to interview certain subjects alone. Separate interviews also provided scope for additional insight to be given.

Interviews were largely unstructured, although a few broad questions helped frame the in-depth discussions. Various topics included issues related to shopping ships, stores visited, purchases made, fashion tastes and mutual influence among others. Positives and negatives of shopping together were also covered. Subjects were also invited to describe a recent shopping trip for clothing or accessories they had together.

Analysis of the data revealed three interacting themes: conflict and struggle; education and influence; and bonding. The study confirmed the likelihood of conflict that is typically stronger during middle-school years as the daughter attempts to develop her own identity. As mentioned previously, this conflict tends to diminish during later adolescence.

Many issues can be a potential source of conflict and struggle including:

• Store choice: For instance, mothers may object to visiting retail outlets where dim lighting and loud music are the norm.

• Shopping agenda in terms of time spent and purpose: Utilitarian motives are typical for the mother and hedonic motives for her daughter.

• Budget: This can be a major problem as the pair will often differ significantly in their views. Price and quality can be important to the mother, while the daughter is driven by style. Cost is not viewed as a barrier to her buying the items she desires. Conflict is lessened when both have similar views about budget issues.

• Style: A mother’s opinion on this matter tends to be valued more during later adolescence, so conflict diminishes accordingly.

The authors point out the importance of resolving conflict. Left unchecked, it can deter future shopping trips and negatively affect bonding and the relationship in general. From a company perspective, it can also impact on sales. The mother holds the upper hand when the daughter is younger, as she will invariably be in total control of finances. As the daughter ages though, she may have the means to buy at least some of the items. Negotiation thus becomes more likely. Retail employees can arbitrate conflict by suggesting alternative purchases, while other family members might also be asked to perform a similar mediating role.

Mothers typically attempt to educate and influence their daughters during middle school age. Key issues include effective money management and understanding product quality. Striking the balance between quality and fashion is also taught. Most mothers feel their daughters have acquired such knowledge by the time they reach high school. This is illustrated by a willingness to let them shop independently and even use the parent’s credit card. Attempts to influence what to wear also focuses on early adolescence and mothers usually have more faith in the style choices as the daughter gets older.

High-school daughters can influence their mothers though. Termed “reciprocal socialization”, teenagers might encourage their mother to dress more trendily. The daughter’s opinion can be valued and make the parent more confident about the choice made.

Mothers and daughters from both education cohorts recognize the value of bonding, which grows in the absence of conflict. Positive educating experiences have a similar effect. Bonding is stronger when no third-parties are present and helps to strengthen family identity. Despite the positives, some teenagers complain about their mother trying to use the time to ask about their personal lives while they just want to enjoy the shopping.

To encourage mothers and daughters to spend more time shopping and secure more sales, retailers could:

• ensure store atmosphere appeals to both parties;

• help resolve conflict by suggesting alternatives based on style and/or price;

• build relationships with mother-daughter pairs and offer advice based on past purchase behavior;

• use advertisements in which mothers and daughters are depicted enjoying a visit to their store; and

• provide merchandise displays relevant to each education cohort which accommodate wishes of both mother and daughter.

Stores targeting mothers might provide TVs or computers to encourage adolescents to stay with their mother and offer advice.

Future study could consider different samples and explore the significance of such as income level, family structure, ethnicity or culture. Longitudinal research is also recommended, as is exploration of other “adolescent shopping companion pairs”. Scope likewise exists to examine mother-daughter shopping in other contexts like grocery stores or online. The impact of store atmosphere on mothers and daughters of different ages is another research option.

To read the full article, enter 10.1108/JCM-12-2014-1244 into your search engine.

(A précis of the article “Mother-adolescent daughter identity interplay processes”. Supplied by Marketing Consultants for Emerald.)