Net Generation: A Conceptual Framework of the Consumer Socialization Process

ABSTRACT Adolescents constitute a strong market segment these days. Consequently it is important for marketers to understand teenage consumer patterns. In recent times, consumer socialization theorists have explored the effect of socialization agents on adolescents, including television and music (Moschis & Moore, 1979; Gaddy, 1986; Butterbaugh, 1999). However, there is a gap in the socialization literature regarding adolescents and internet usage; given the increasing exposure to internet technology and the ubiquity of the internet in the lives the Net Generation this gap needs to be addressed. This paper explores the role of internet technology as an antecedent to consumer socialization agents of adolescents and, its effect on their social consciousness and purchase intensions. The objectives of this research are to: * expand the consumers' socialization process to include internet technology * assess the effects, of age and internet usage as antecedents to the consumer socialization agents of social ties and attitudes of others * assess the influence of these socialization agents on consumer purchase intention * assess the influence of these socialization agents on consumers' social conscience BACKGROUND AND SCOPE Consumers are intuitively social creatures and as such they engage in environmental learning (Har & Rahman, 2008). Brim and Wheeler define this type of learning as the process of socialization by which a person acquires knowledge and skills that enables them to become members of society. Research in consumer socialization is typically based on one of two theoretical models: a) the cognitive developmental model, and b) the social learning model. The cognitive developmental model focuses on learning as a cognitive-psychological process of acclimation to one's environment, emphasizing personal and environmental factors. The social learning model focuses on learning as a process of modeling and social interaction, emphasizing sources of influence known as "social agents" (Har & Rahman, 2008; Moschis & Churchill, 1978). According to Moschis and Churchill, social agents are defined as entities that "transmit norms, attitudes, motivation and behaviors to the learner; socialization is assumed to be taking place during the course of the person's interaction with these agents in various social settings" (1978,p.600). The theoretical concepts of socialization are used to adapt the general conceptual model originally presented by Moschis and Churchill, (1978). The three main elements of socialization theory are socialization agents, social structural variables, and outcomes. This paper looks at the Net Generation, individuals born between 1979 and 1997, and their internet usage as it relates to consumer purchase intentions and the formation of social consciousness. According to Tapscott, this is the first generation to be born into the digital age; they grew up with the internet, it has always been a constant in their lives. This generation prefers to be engaged, collaborate and share ideas (2006). Members of the Net Generation spend approximately 4 hours a day engaged in digital media either on their computers or accessing the internet through their phones or other media devices (Park & Lee, 2005). This paper proposes an adapted model that includes social ties and attitudes of others as socialization agents, internet usage as a social structure variable and the ensuing behavioral outcomes of increased social consciousness and consumer purchase intentions. CONSUMER SOCIALIZATION The key constructs of the consumer socialization process include cognition, attitudes, and value formation towards consumption (Har & Rahman, 2008). Knowledge is acquired by direct experience and related information from various sources (Schiffinan et al., 2005). This paper proposes that the ubiquity of the internet in the lives of adolescent consumers provides them with knowledge that is acquired either by directly reading and processing information about a product or a social cause or acquired through the membership of on-line communities and peer to peer on-line communication. …