Familial interactions as a modulator of the process of adoption and consumption of beauty products

Abstract

Despite theoretical maturity of innovation diffusion field, its main methodological perspective remains macro-social and quantitative. Cultural, symbolic, or social aspects of adoption experience remain to be explored, under qualitative micro-social lens. Adoption experience may be a path to outline specific social dynamics that interfere with the innovation diffusion process. In that sense, the family, as a primary socialization unit, was chosen as frame to social environment investigation, drawing upon socialization, family and intergenerational influence literature. Fifteen lower class Brazilian families, with three generations of woman each, were interviewed and observed for one to two days. The inhome interviews were guided by a biographical approach, for both historical context and identification of innovation adoption moments. The findings of this study demonstrate that the family works as a modulator of innovation consumption, through flows of reproduction or renewal of family practices, influenced by social structure, cultural values and taste. Keywords: diffusion of innovation, family, intergenerational influence, life story, beauty, socialization