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Unit 10: Family Influences

Notes
Table 10.2: Stages in Children's Socialisation
Stage Feature Description
Stage I Observing (average age - 6 1. Parents begin taking children with them
months) to stores.
2. Children make sensory contact with the
market place and construct mental images
of marketplace objects and symbols.
Stage II Making requests (average age - 1. Children have learned quite a few things,
2 years) TV commercials also serve as meaningful
stimulus
2. They begin to make requests for desired
things that they see in store.
Stage III Making selections (average age 1. Children begin developing memory for
- 3 years) retail store locations for certain products
2. They are able to locate and pick satisfying
products by themselves.
Stage IV Making assisted purchases Children seek and get permission from
(average age - 5 years): parents to get objects in stores and spend
money given by parents.
Stage V Making independent purchases Most children remain in stage IV a long time
(average age - 8 years) before their parents allow them to move to
stage V when they start buying things on their
own without parental assistance.

Case Study Purchasing a Microwave Oven

amesh Sikand and his family lived in a comfortable two-bedroom flat in a
respectable locality in a large city. He was employed with a general insurance
Rcompany in a supervisory capacity. His wife, Sumita was a teacher in an english
medium public school. Both their children, Rachit aged 10 and Sarita aged 8 years, were
studying in the same school where Sumita was employed.
Just before Diwali in 2002, one Friday evening the family went shopping. Besides clothes
for children and few other things, they bought a 27 ltr. Excel microwave from an outlet
with good reputation. Sumita was very happy and the children were excited with this new
purchase. Both the children were anticipating quick cooking of a variety of dishes they
liked. They were expecting that everyday their Mom would give them school tiffin-boxes
packed with noodles and other Chinese food.
To celebrate, Sumita invited two of her school colleagues for dinner and prepared a few
dishes in her brand new microwave. Both her friends observed her cooking with great
interest. On the dinner table most talk was around difficulties of both spouses being
employed and the shortage of time to attend to so many household chores. The friends,
Ramesh and the kids profusely praised the dishes and how quickly everything for the
dinner was ready. What really took most time was cooking the Chapatis. Sumita said,
"How nice and convenient it can be if some portable chappati-preparing gadget was
available."

Contd....

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