If children won lotteries: materialism, gratitude and imaginary windfall spending

Abstract

Purpose Despite USA’s emphasis on children as consumers with great spending power, little is known about their actual spending preferences and how they might be linked to personal character traits such as materialism and gratitude. This study aims to address this literature gap by examining children’s spending preferences in an imaginary windfall scenario, as well as main and interactive effects of materialism and gratitude on such preferences. Design/methodology/approach This was a school-based research study. Survey methodology was used in which self-report measures were collected from 247 7-14-year-old children (58 per cent male). Findings Results suggest that materialism was significantly associated with saving resources and allocating less money to charity. Gratitude was related to more charitable giving. One interactive effect was found whereby the link between more materialism and saving was attenuated by high levels of gratitude. Contrary to expectations, no age or gender differences in spending preferences or materialism were found, but older children and girls reported higher gratitude than did younger children and boys. Research limitations/implications Although cross-sectional data limit conclusions regarding directionality, the results have implications for understanding children’s consumer behavior, as well as children’s well-being, self-regulation and ability to delay gratification. Practical implications The results suggest that materialism, with its emphasis on consumption, and gratitude, with its positive feedback loop that encourages prosocial connections, are particularly relevant avenues to continue examining in future research on youth consumer patterns. Social implications Gratitude not only promotes social connectedness but also is more environmentally sustainable in promoting appreciation for what one has rather than wanting more. Uncovering ways that these characteristics are linked to hypothetical and, ultimately, actual spending behavior reflects a meaningful contribution to the field. Originality/value This paper fills gaps in the literature by examining links between specific character traits and potential spending behaviors, with deeper implications for children’s psychosocial development, self-regulation and environmental sustainability.

Expressions of Gratitude, Wishes, and Spending Preferences Among Chinese Children and Adolescents

“…Regarding spending preferences among children and adolescents, previous research has provided evidence of a positive relation between North American children’s gratitude and preferences for donating money to charity, and a negative association between materialism and preferences for giving money to the poor (Kiang et al, 2016). However, very limited research has examined relations among gratitude, materialism, and prosocial spending preferences in Chinese children and adolescents.…”

“…Therefore, we also expect that age will be positively related to children’s prosocial spending preferences, such as giving money to charity and buying gifts for others. In addition, based on Kiang and colleagues’ (2016) research findings, we hypothesize that, controlling for age and gender, hedonistic wishes will be positively associated with preferences for buying things, and saving, whereas social-oriented wishes will be positively related to prosocial spending, such as giving gifts and giving resources to the poor.…”

“…On the basis of viewing gratitude as a moral virtue, it is clear that gratitude is inherently prosocial and promotive of interpersonal connections. Prior work has found that the beneficiary’s recognition of a benefactor’s help and a desire to repay the benefactor’s kindness strengthens the relationship between the benefactor and the beneficiary (Algoe, Fredrickson, & Gable, 2013), as well as promotes both benefactors’ and beneficiaries’ prosocial behaviors, such as prosocial spending preferences (Kiang, Mendonça, Liang, & Tudge, 2016; McCullough, Kimeldorf, & Cohen, 2008).…”

The Development of Gratitude in South Korean Youth

“…This is perhaps because, prior to modernization, most Koreans were not in an economic position to be able to give away money for they could barely meet their own daily needs (Mason, Kim, Perkins, Kim, & Cole, 1980). Nonetheless, more specific spending preferences might depend on individual characteristics, such as age and personality traits (i.e., materialist values; Kiang et al, 2016). Furthermore, in Korea, young children have limited opportunities to handle their own money, with parents typically in charge of financial spending (Kim, Park, Kwon, & Koo, 2005).…”

Influencia de la actitud hacia el dinero en la intención de compra infantil

“…Lo anterior demuestra la realización de esfuerzos iniciales por profundizar en la investigación académica, no obstante, al finalizar el siglo XX, Stipp (1988) afirmó que "gran parte de la investigación existente sobre los niños no era confiable, y en algunos temas muy concretos no había información sistemática en absoluto" (p. 26). Al parecer, esa falta de información se mantiene en el siglo XXI, puesto que, a pesar de los estudios sobre los niños en su rol de consumidores, se sabe poco acerca de sus percepciones sobre el dinero y las preferencias de gasto (Kiang et al, 2016). Además, la mayoría de las investigaciones se han centrado en algunas regiones del mundo; Buckingham (2013) afirma que "ha habido pocos intentos de documentar la historia del consumo infantil fuera del contexto estadounidense" (p. 90), por tanto, "la investigación de fuera de los países occidentales sigue siendo extremadamente escasa" (p. 91).…”