Materialism among Adolescents in China: A Historical Generation Perspective
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/15587890980000411 |
| Published date | 21 May 2009 |
| Pages | 56-64 |
| Date | 21 May 2009 |
| Author | Flora F. Gu,Kineta Hung |
| Subject Matter | Strategy |
Journal of Asia Business Studies SPRING 2009
56
INTRODUCTION
Whether materialistic values, luxury consumption, and the crav-
ing for prestigious brands increase or decline over time among con-
sumers in the United States is open to debate (Achenreiner, 1997;
Easterlin and Crimmins, 1991). However, the escalation of consum-
ers’ desire for a materialistic lifestyle is obvious in less affluent coun-
tries. Ger and Belk (1996) note that materialistic values in some tran-
sitional economies have surpassed those in developed economies. In
China, the largest transitional economy and a market arena for global
firms (Child and Tse, 2001), consumers’ desire for a luxurious and
materialistic lifestyle has risen to an unprecedented level. According
to a recent report, the country is now the third-biggest consumer of
luxury goods, accounting for twelve percent of sales worldwide, up
from one percent just five years ago (The Boston Globe, March 21
2006). However, not all consumers in China share the heightened
orientation towards materialism.
Previous research identifies different segments of American con-
sumers according to the historical events consumers experience
during their formative years. For example, the leading-edge baby
boomers, (aged 50-58 in 2004), suffered the loss of J.F. Kennedy and
Martin Luther King, Jr. but watched the first man walk on the moon.
This segment is self-assured and champions causes (e.g., civil rights).
The trailing-edge baby boomers, (aged 39-49 in 2004), witnessed
the fall of Vietnam, Watergate, and Nixon’s resignation. This segment
disregards authority and indulges in self-expression. Many members
of Generation X, (aged 27-38 in 2004), have seen the trauma of di-
vorce first-hand and they emphasize a balance between work and
family life (Meredith and Schewe, 2002; Noble and Schewe, 2003).
These consumer segments have been shown to hold differential con-
sumption behavior based on their value orientations (Meredith and
Schewe, 2002).
China’s socio-political environment substantially differs from that
of the USA, and historical events – and the macro social-political
forces behind them – have shaped a distinctly different pattern of
generational cohorts in China. However, little research to date has
systematically linked the macro societal forces to consumers’ mate-
rialistic orientations. There is also limited exploration of the effects
of micro-level socialization processes (e.g., media exposure) on these
consumer cohorts.
Thus, we have two objectives in the current study. First, we take a
historical generation perspective and propose that there are substan-
tive differences in materialistic orientations in China between late
adolescents (aged 15-19) and the parent generation (aged 40-49).
Specifically, we examine the influence of cataclysmic events such as
the Cultural Revolution (1965-1975) on the parent generation, and
the influence of globalization (1992-present) on late adolescents. In-
glehart (1990, 2003) shows that the younger generation in the West
places a stronger emphasis on belonging, self-expression, and quality
of life (termed “postmodern values” by Inglehart) than on economic
and physical security (termed “materialist values” by Inglehart). By
examining the generational change of values in China, researchers
can assess the cross-cultural applicability of Inglehart’s thesis.
Second, we examine the effects of two micro-level socialization
Materialism among Adolescents in China: A Historical Generation
Perspective
Flora F. Gu
Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Kineta Hung
Hong Kong Baptist University
absTRaCT
This study examines the development of materialistic values from a historical generation perspective. On a macro level, we exam-
ine critical societal events such as the Cultural Revolution and the globalization that may affect the materialistic values embraced
by parents and adolescents in China. On a micro level, we delineate the impacts of financial resources and media exposure
on individuals’ materialism. Based on the historical generation theory, we hypothesize differing levels of materialism, and differential
mechanisms of materialistic development for the two generations. The hypotheses are tested on the survey data of 2,860 adolescents
(age 15-19) and 11,920 adults (age 40-49, the parent generation). The results show that adolescents are more materialistic than the
parent generation in terms of acquisition centrality, novelty-seeking, and susceptibility to social influence. The results also show that
media exposure exerts a strong influence on adolescents’ materialism while income does not register any significant effects. The ef-
fects are sharply reversed for the parent generation, with income as the key determinant and media exposure having no impact. The
article closes with managerial and research implications.
Keywords: Materialism, China Marketing, Adolescents, Generation, Media Effects
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