The Development of Consumer-Based Consumption Constellations in Children

Three studies using multiple methodologies investigated the development of consumer-based consumption constellations in children, finding an increasing linear age trend in the number of products and brands children use to form constellations, the degree to which these elements display symbolic complementarity, and the accessibility of constellations in memory. However, by early adolescence, as stereotypes become stronger, constellations become smaller and less flexible. Although seventh graders use more products and brands to form constellations than younger children, they do so in place of other ways to define roles, such as personality traits, therefore forming constellations with fewer elements overall. By late adolescence, individuals develop more flexible constellations with a greater number of elements.