The Effect of Parents' Childhood Life Experiences on Their Motivation and Interest in Buying Toys for Their Children

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 22 Sayı: 1, 104 - 125

Özlem Komitoğlu Yaman , Cenk Arsun Yüksel

https://doi.org/10.26466/opusjsr.1590793

Öz

The social context perspective suggests that individuals' present experiences are shaped by their past experiences through various sociopsychological, sociocultural and comparative approaches. From a social psychological and cultural standpoint, the differentiation arising from parents' childhood experiences, family structures, communication styles, social environment and the sociodemographic characteristics of their formative years can be analyzed to understand its impact on their motivation and interest in purchasing toys for their children. When examining parents' purchasing behaviors for their children, it is evident that they often make decisions based on their personal preferences. Consequently, within the framework of consumer behavior models, analyzing parents' childhood experiences and their influence on purchasing motivations, perceptions, and attitudes toward toys provides deeper insights into how their toy-buying motivations evolve. To address this, a mixed-method research design was employed. In the first stage, in-depth interviews with 60 parents were conducted using structured questions. In the subsequent quantitative stage, 221 parents were surveyed to explore the relationship between their childhood experiences, parenting styles and motivations for purchasing toys. The qualitative findings highlighted key concepts such as play, toys and family communication, emphasizing the importance of psychological sub-dimensions in consumer behavior models. Furthermore, the study revealed that parental styles significantly influence their motivation to buy toys for their children. Given these findings, future studies could benefit from expanding the sample size and integrating psychological and cross-cultural methodologies to deepen the understanding of intergenerational consumer behaviors. Investigations into psychology-based dimensions, neuroscientific perspectives, and cross-cultural analyses are particularly recommended to further expand the understanding of this phenomenon.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Parenting Styles, Toy, Life Experiences, Purchase Motivations

Ebeveynlerin Çocukluk Dönemi Yaşam Deneyimlerinin Çocuklarına Oyuncak Satın Alma Motivasyonlarına ve İlgilenimlerine Etkisi

Öz

Sosyal bağlam perspektifi, sosyopsikolojik, sosyokültürel ve karşılaştırmalı olarak birçok farklı yaklaşımda, insanların mevcut yaşam deneyimlerinin daha önceki yaşam deneyimlerinden etkilenebileceğini ileri sürmektedir. Sosyal psikoloji ve kültürel bağlamda ele alındığında, ebeveynlerin kendi çocukluklarına ilişkin yaşam deneyimlerinin, aile yapıları ve aile içi iletişim tarzlarının, sosyal çevrelerinin, o döneme ait sosyodemografik özelliklerin, bugünün ebeveynleri olarak çocuklarına yönelik oyuncak satın alma motivasyonları ve oyuncak satın almaya yönelik ilgilenimleri üzerinde yarattığı farklılaşmayı anlamlandırmak mümkün olabilecektir. Ebeveynlerin çocuklarına yönelik ürün satın alma davranışları incelendiğinde, kendi tercihlerine göre alışveriş yaptıkları gözlemlenmiş; bu nedenle tüketici davranış modeli çerçevesinde, ebeveynlerin oyuncağa yönelik algı ve tutumlarını etkileyen satın alma motivasyonlarında farklılık gösteren kendi çocukluk dönemi yaşam deneyimlerinin açıklanması, oyuncağa yönelik ilgilenimlerinin değişimini inceleyebilmeyi sağlayacaktır. Bu nedenle; karma bir araştırma modeli tasarlanmış olup, ilk aşamada, 60 ebeveyn ile yapılandırılmış sorular çerçevesinde derinlemesine görüşmeler yapılmıştır. Teorik model çerçevesinde, 221 ebeveyn ile anket yapılarak ebeveynlerinin ebeveynlik tarzının oyuncak satın alma motivasyonlarıyla ilişkisi ortaya koyulmuştur. Derinlemesine görüşmelerde, oyun, oyuncak ve aile içi iletişim odaklı konularda öne çıkan kavramlar, tüketici davranış modellerinin psikolojik alt boyutlarının ele alınmasına işaret etmektedir. Diğer yandan, ebeveynlerinin ebeveynlik tarzlarının, çocuklarına oyuncak satın alma motivasyonlarını anlamlı yönde etkilediği görülmüştür. Araştırma, ebeveynlerin demografik farklılıklarının yanı sıra, psikoloji temelli konular özelinde, nörobilmsel yaklaşımlar çerçevesinde ve farklı kültürler üzerinde daha geniş örneklem gruplarıyla gerek nitel gerekse nicel çalışmalarla geliştirilmelidir

Anahtar Kelimeler

Ebeveynlik tarzları, oyuncak, yaşam deneyimleri, satın alma motivasyonları

Kaynakça

• Acock, A. C., Bengtson, V. L. (1980). Socialization and attribution: Actual versus Perceived Similarity among Parents and Youth. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 42, 501-515.
• Al Kurdi, B. (2017). Investigating the factors influencing parent toy purchase decisions: Reasoning and consequences. International Business Research, 10(4), 104-116.
• Altan- Aytun, O., Yağmurlu, B., Yavuz, H. M. (2013). Turkish mothers' coping with children's negative emotions: A brief report. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 22, 437-443.
• Anagün, Ş.S. (2013). Bilimsel Araştırma Yöntemleri. Ankara: Vize Publishing.
• Aygun, Z.K., İmamoğlu, E.O. (2002). Value Domains of Turkish Adults and University Students. The Journal of Social Psychology, Vol. 142 (3).
• Ayvalıoğlu, N. (1987). Cultural Revolution of Atatürk. Istanbul Experiential Psychological Studies, Vol.15, 49-60.
• Baumrind, D. (1966). Effects of authoritative parental control on child behavior. Child Development, 37, 887-907.
• Barbopoulos, I., and Johansson, L. O. (2017). The Consumer Motivation Scale: A detailed review of item generation, exploration, confirmation, and validation procedures. Data in brief, 13, 88-107.
• Becker, Gary S. (1992), The Economic Way of Looking at Life. Nobel Lecture, December.
• Bedford, R. (2021). Family dynamics and toy preferences: A study of parent-child interactions. Family Psychology Quarterly, 18(4), 240-258.
• Belk, R. W. (1988). Possessions and the extended self. Journal of Consumer Research, 15 (2), 139-168.
• Bretherton, C. S. & Wyant, M. C. (1997). Moisture transport, lower-tropospheric stability, and decoupling of cloud-topped boundary layers. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 54(1), 148-167.
• Boehm, H. (1989). Toys And Games To Learn. Psychology Today, September, 62-64
• Bowen, M. (1978). Family therapy in clinical practice. Inc: Hanna, P. E., A Cognitive Emotional Methodology for Critical Thinking, Advances in Applied Sociology, Vol.3 No.1, March 18, 2013.
• Bowlby, J., (1980). Attachment and Loss: Loss, sadness and Depression. Basic Books.
• Brody, G. H., Moore, K. & Glei, D. (1994). Family processes during adolescence as predictors of parent-young adult attitude similarity: A six-year longitudinal analysis. Journal of Family Relations, 369-373.
• Bukšnytė, L. & Pukelytė, R. (2009). Links of students identity status and learning motivation. Pedagogika, 94, 23-28. Buri, J. (1991). Parental Authority Questionnaire. Journal of Personality Assessment, 57 (1), 110-119.
• Büyüköztürk, Ş., Çakmak, E. K., Akgün, Ö. E., Karadeniz, Ş. & Demirel, F. (2015). Bilimsel Araştırma Yöntemleri. Ankara: Pegem Publishing.
• Caldera, Y. M., Huston, A. C. & O'Brien, M. (1989). Social interactions and play patterns of parents and toddlers with feminine, masculine, and neutral toys. Journal of Child Development, 70-76. https://doi.org/10.2307/1131072
• Campenni, C. E. (1999). Gender stereotyping of children's toys: A comparison of parents and nonparents. Journal of Sex Roles, 40 (1-2), 121-138. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018886518834
• Carlson, L. & Grossbart, S. (1988). Parental style and consumer socialization of children. Journal of Consumer Research, 15(1), 77-94.
• Chase, R. A. (1992). Toys and infant development: Biological, psychological, and social factors. Journal of Children's Environments, 3-12.
• Christensen, K. E. & Stockdale, D. F. (1991). Predictors of toy selection criteria of preschool children's parents. Children's Environments Quarterly, 8(1), 25-36.
• Clarke L. & Joshi H. (2005) Children's changing families and family resources; cited in Jenson A.M. McKee L., Children and the Changing Family: Between Transformation and Negotiation, Routledge Falmer, Abingdon, 15- 26.
• Clarke, P. & McAuley, A. (2010). Parental evaluation of popular brand names given as Christmas gifts and sources of information used in these decisions. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 27(6), 534-542.
• Curri, T. B., Palmieri, T. L., Aoki, T. H., Kaulkin, C. K., Lunn, M. E., Gregory, C. M., & Greenhalgh, D. G. (2003). Playing with fire: images of fire on toy packaging. Journal of Burn Care and Research, 24(3), 163-165. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.BCR.0000066787.49058.1A
• Cileli, M. and Tezer, E. (1998). Life and value orientations of Turkish University students. Adolescence, vol.33, no.129, 219-228.
• Darling, N., Steinberg, L. (1993). Parenting style as context: an integrative model. Psychological Bulletin, 113, 487- 496.
• Ding, M., Liu, X. & Liu, P. (2024). Parent-child environmental interaction promotes pro-environmental behaviors through family well-being: An actor-partner interdependence mediation model. Current Psychology, 43(18), 16476-16488.
• Eisenberg, N. & Miller, P. A. (1987). The relation of empathy to prosocial and related behaviors. Psychological Bulletin, 101(1), 91.
• Eryavuz, A. (2006). The effects of perceived parental acceptance or rejection in childhood on intimate relationships in adulthood. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, Ege University Institute of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Izmir.
• Fallon, M., & Harris, M. (2001). Factors influencing the selection of toys for handicapped and normally developing preschool children. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 150(2), 125-134. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221325.1989.9914584
• Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford University Press.
• Fishbein, M., & Ajzen, I. (1975). Belief, attitude, intention, and behavior: An introduction to theory and research.Addison-Wesley.
• Fisher-Thompson, D., Sausa, A. D. & Wright, T. F. (1995). Toy selection for children: Personality and toy request influences. Journal of Sex Roles, 33(3-4), 239-255. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01544613
• Freeman, N. (2007). Preschoolers' Perceptions of Gender Appropriate Toy and their Parents' Beliefs About Genderized Behaviors: Miscommunication, Mixed Messages, or Hidden Truths? Childhood Education Journal, 34(5), 357-366. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-006-0123-x
• Gera, M. & Kaur, J. (2015). Study of resilience and parenting styles of adolescents. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Approach and Studies, 2(1), 168-177.
• Gips, C. (1950). A study of toys for hospitalized children. Child Development, 21(3). 149-161. https://doi.org/10.2307/1125915
• Glass, P., Miller, M. & Short, B. (1989). Morbidity for survivors of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: neurodevelopmental outcome at 1 year of age. Pediatrics, 83(1), 72-78.
• Goldberg, L. R. (1963). A model of item ambiguity in personality assessment. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 23(3), 467-492.
• Göregenli, M. (1995). Individualism-collectivism tendencies in terms of our culture: An initial study. Turkish Journal of Psychology, 10(35), 1-14.
• Güngör, D. (2008). The meaning of parental control in migrant, sending and host communities: Adaptation or persistence?. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 57(3).
• Güngör, D. & Bornstein, M. H. (2010). Culture-general and -specific Associations of Attachment Avoidance and Anxiety with Perceived Parental Warmth and Psychological Control among Turkish and Belgian Adolescents. Journal of Adolescence, 33, 593-602.
• Grusec, J. E. (2002). Parental socialization and children's acquisition of values, in M. H. Bornstein (Ed.), Handbook of parenting: practical issues in parenting, pp:143-167, Vol (5), Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers, Second Ed.
• Hair Jr, J. F., Howard, M. C., & Nitzl, C. (2020). Assessing measurement model quality in PLS-SEM using confirmatory composite analysis. Journal of business research, 109, 101-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.11.069
• Haktanır, G. & Baran, G. (1998). Investigation of self-esteem levels of young people and their perception of parental attitudes. Turkish Journal of Psychology, 5(3).
• Haris, J.R. (1998). The nurture assumption: Why children turn out the way they do. New York: Free Press.
• Harkness, S., Super, C. H. & Tijen, N. (2000). Individualism and the 'Western Mind' Reconsidered: American and Dutch Parent's Ethnotheories of the Child. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 87, 23-39.
• Hoffman, M. L. (1975). Moral internalization, parental power and the nature of parent-child interaction. Developmental psychology, 11(2), 228.
• Hogan, S. P. (2007). Creating parental trust in the children's toy market. Young Consumers, 8(3), 163-171.
• Kağıtçıbaşı, Ç. (1990). İnsan, aile, kültür. Remzi Bookstore, Istanbul.
• Kağıtçıbaşı, Ç. (2000). Kültürel psikoloji: Kültür bağlamında insan ve aile. Evrim Publishing, Istanbul.
• Karasar, N. (1999). Bilimsel araştırma yöntemi. Ankara: Nobel Publications.
• Kerr, M., Stattin, H., & Burk, W. J. (2010). A reinterpretation of parental monitoring in longitudinal perspective. Journal of Research on Adolescence, Vol.20 (1), 39-64. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-7795.2009.00623.x
• Kohn, M. (1977). The kohn social competence scale and kohn symptom checklist for the preschool child: A follow-up report. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 5(3), 249.
• Kohlberg, L., & Kramer, R. (1969). Continuities and discontinuities in childhood and adult moral development. Human development, 12(2), 93-120.
• Kushlev, K., Dunn, E. W., & Ashton-James, C. E. (2012). Does affluence impoverish the experience of parenting?. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 48(6), 1381-1384.
• Kutkienė, L. (2008). Peculiarities of Ego identity status and correlation of Self-estimation of 16-17 years old male and female teen-agers. Pedagogika, 90, 109-114.
• Lam, V., & Leman, P. (2003). The influence of gender and ethnicity on children's inferences about toy choice. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford, UK. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9507.00233
• Liu, K. S., Chen, J. Y., Ng, M. Y., Yeung, M. H., Bedford, L. E., & Lam, C. L. (2021). How does the family influence adolescent eating habits in terms of knowledge, attitudes and practices? A Global Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies. Nutrients, 13(11), 3717.
• Maccoby, E. E. & Martin, J. A. (1983). Socialization in the context of the family: Parentchild interaction. Handbook of Child Psychology, 4, 1-101.
• Malinauskienė, O., Vosylis, R., Erentaitė, R., & Žukauskienė, R. (2010). The relationships between perceived parental learning styles and gender identity in late adolescence. Socialinis Darbas, 9 (2), 135-144.
• Malone, D. M., & Landers, M. A. (2001). Mothers' perceptions of the toy play of pre-schoolers with intellectual disabilities. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 48(1), 91-102. https://doi.org/10.1080/10349120120036323
• Mannheim, K. (1952). The sociological problem of generations. Essays Sociology Knowledge 306, 163-195.
• Marsh, J., Brooks, G., Hughes, J., Ritchie, L., Roberts, S., & Wright, K. (2005). Digital beginnings: Young children's use of popular culture, media and new Technologies. Report of the 'Young Children's Use of Popular Culture, Media and New Technologies' Study, Literacy Research Centre, University of Sheffield.
• McNeal, J. U. (1969). Dimensions of consumer behavior. appleton century crofts, Second Edition.
• Mehrotra, S. &Torges, S. (1977). Determinants of children's influence on mothers' buying behavior. Advances in Consumer Research, 4(1).
• Noble, C.H. & Walker, B.A. (1997). Exploring the relationships among liminal transitions, symbolic consumption, and the extended self. Journal of Psychology and Marketing, 14(1), 29-47.
• O'Brien, M. & Huston, A. C. (1985). Activity level and sex-stereotyped toy choice in toddler boys and girls. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 146(4), 527-533.
• O'Brien, M. & Huston, A. C. (1985). Development of sex-typed play behavior in toddlers. Developmental Psychology, 21(5), 866.
• Padilla-Walker, L. M. and Carlo, G. (2007). Personal Values as a Mediator Between Parent and Peer Expectations and Adolescent Behaviors. Faculty Publications, Department of Psychology, 297.
• Pecora, N. (2009). The changing nature of children's television: Fifty years of research. Journal of Children and Television, 23-62.
• Priya, P., Kanti Baisya, R., & Sharma, S. (2010). Television advertisements and children's buying behavior. Journal of Marketing Intelligence and Planning, 28(2), 151-169. https://doi.org/10.1108/02634501011029664
• Rajan, R., and Subramanian, A. (2007). Does aid affect governance. American Economic Review, 97(2), 322-327.
• Rheingold, H. L., & Cook, K. V. (1975). The contents of boys' and girls' rooms as an index of parents' behavior. Child Development, 459-463.
• Richards, B. (2023). Associations Between Parenting Styles and Parental Self-Efficacy. Master Thesis, Western Kentucky University.
• Robertson, T. S. & Rossiter, J. R. (1976). Short-run advertising effects on children: A field study. Journal of Marketing Research, 13(1), 68-70. https://doi.org/10.2307/3150908
• Rokeach, M. (1973). The Nature of Human Values, New York: The Free Press.
• Schönpflug, U. (2001). Intergenerational Transmission of Values: The Role of Transmission Belts. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 32, 174.
• Schultz, D. P., Schultz, S. E. (2007). History of Modern Psychology. Kaknüs Publications.
• Servin, A., Bohlin, G., & Berlin, L. (1999). Sex differences in 1- 3- and 5-year olds' toy choice in a structured play session. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 40(1), 43-48. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9450.00096
• Sjöberg, J., and Sköld, J. (2021). Childcare for sale: Mapping private institutions in Sweden 1900-1975. The Journal of the History of Childhood and Youth, 14(1), 113-132.
• Skowron, E. A., Stanley, L. K., Shapiro, M. D. (2009). A Longitudinal Perspective on Differentiation of Self, Interpersonal and Psychological Well-Being in Young Adulthood. Contemporary Family Therapy: An International Journal, 31(1), 3-18. doi:10.1007/s10591-008-9075-1
• Stagnitti, K., Rodger, S., & Clarke, J. (1997). Determining gender and neutral toys for assessment of preschool children's imaginative play. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 44(3), 119-131. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1630.1997.tb00764.x
• Thompson, D., Sausa, A., & Wright, T. (1995). Toy selection for children: Personality and toy request influences. Journal of Sex Roles, 33(3), 239-255. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01544613
• Urmak, T. T. (2022). Future Possible Application Areas of Block Chain and Cross Chain Technologies. Haliç University Journal of Social Sciences, 5(2), 271-303. https://doi.org/ 10.56206/husbd.1146812
• Van Gennep, A. (1960). The rites of passage; as cited in: Belk, R. W. (1988). Possessions and the extended self. Journal of Consumer Research, 15 (2): 139-168.
• Ventura A, Birch L. (2008). Does parenting affect children's eating and weight status? International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 5(1):15. doi:10.1186/1479
• Vollebergh, W. A. M., Iedema, J., Raaijmakers, Q. A. (2001). Intergenerational Transmission and The Formation of Cultural Orientations in Adolescence and Young Adulthood. Journal of Marriage and Family, 63(4).
• Ward, W. D. (1972). Sex-role preference and parental imitation within groups of middle-class whites and lower-class blacks. Psychological Reports, 30(2), 651-654.
• Ward, S., and Wackman, D. (1974). Consumer Socialization: Initial Study Results. Advances in Consumer Research, 1(1).
• Wells, A. J. (1988). Variations in mothers' self-esteem in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 55(4), 661.
• Wood, E., Desmarais, S., & Gugula, S. (2002). The impact of parenting experience on gender stereotyped toy play of children. Journal of Sex Roles, 47(1-2), 39-49. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020679619728
• Wong, S. B., Wang, T. S., Tsai, W. H., Tzeng, I. S., & Tsai, L. P. (2021). Parenting stress in families of children with Prader-Willi syndrome. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A, 185(1), 83-89.
• Zimmerman, L., & Calovini, G. (1971). Toys as learning materials for preschool children. Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York.