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Exploring adolescent development skills through Internet usage: a study of French 11–15 year olds
Author(s) -
Batat Wided
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
international journal of consumer studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.775
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1470-6431
pISSN - 1470-6423
DOI - 10.1111/j.1470-6431.2008.00671.x
Subject(s) - consumption (sociology) , competence (human resources) , perspective (graphical) , psychology , marketing , the internet , consumer behaviour , perception , ethnography , advertising , social psychology , sociology , business , social science , artificial intelligence , neuroscience , world wide web , computer science , anthropology
In order to develop a better understanding of teenage consumers, who represent the most highly sought after market segment for researchers and marketing practitioners in France, it is important to explore their competencies as consumers. This ethnographic research explores the consumption skills of teenage consumers using the new technologies. By examining how teenagers particularly in the age group of 11–15 year olds define a competent consumer and how they perceive themselves as competent consumers, we should be able to understand the better consumption behaviours they exhibit, the purchase decision they make and the limitations they feel they must overcome to become fully competent consumers. This study begins by exploring teenage social activities and how they engage with and use digital products as part of their subculture. Broad concepts of competence are then discussed from a psychosociological perspective and a marketing perspective. Next, teenage perceptions of what it means to be a competent consumer are explored and what are the behaviours associated with a competent consumer. Findings of this study showed that teenagers are not mere followers of marketing strategies. They develop consumption skills in relation to their experiences, their peers and media, which are more often linked to their consumption learning. The study importantly suggests that nowadays teenagers are active participants and producers of their cultural consumption processes.