Impact of Family as an Agent of Consumer Socialization in Urban Indian Households

Over the last few decades’ consumption of Indian families particularly in Urban households have undergone rapid changes. Multiple factors like purchasing power, the influence of media, exposure by means of travel, aspirations of modernity, conspicuous consumption etc. are cited as reasons for consumption. In this regard it is interesting to see how this transformation is mediated by the primary agent of socialization which is the family. Consumer socialization is a process by which young people develop consumer related skills knowledge and attitude. This study aims to understand the influence of family in consumer socialization process in Indian Urban households and evaluate the moderating and mediating factors. Research in the domain of consumer socialization, acknowledges the importance of family in influencing both directly and indirectly, in imparting consumption related values of consumption in children in early childhood and even as an adult. The focus of the study is limited to children in their early years (1-7) and formative years (8-12). Broadly the influence of family in formation of Consumer skills, Consumption preferences and Consumption-related attitudes is analyzed using a qualitative approach. The household structure and life cycle might act as moderators while Mother or Father can act as dominant figures in influencing the initial stages of child decision making particularly the negotiation stage. Other agents of Socialization like school and religion also will have concurrent influence in development of consumers within the framework of family