Children´s influence on the family decision-making process in food buying and consumption : an empirical study of children‟s influence in Jakarta-Indonesia
Aim - The aim of the study is to analyze the behavior of children in Jakarta, Indonesia from different socioeconomic statuses (SES) and socio-demographic statuses (SDS) in terms of their participation and influence in family decision-making process during food buying and consumption. Furthermore, the perception and behavior of the parents and children will be compared to see whether children overestimate their influence or whether parents underestimate their children´s influence on the family decision making process or not.Method - The study is based on a mixed-method of empirical design, combining quantitative and qualitative techniques. The quantitative part includes standardized questionnaires, and the qualitative part utilizes an ethnographic study in terms of direct observation and semi-structured interviewing. Questionnaires were completed by 300 participants (150 children aged 6 to 9 years and 150 parents aged 20 to more than 50 years). 17 families participated in the qualitative part of the study.Findings - The results signify that the majority of parents and children think that children can or have influence on the family decision-making process. Parents think that their children can influence them, but they perceive their children only as the influencer, means that the parents often decide for them. On the other hand, children describe themselves as the co-decision maker, means that the decision is 50% decided by parents and 50% decided by children. In this case, children overestimate their own influence, while parents underestimate children´s influence. The family SES and SDS play a role in determining the children´s influence in the family, especially age and gender of the children. Nevertheless, household income, education background, occupation of the parents, parenthood, family size, and language ability of the children have modest effects on determining the children s influence and responsibility in the family.Conclusion - Daily routines made up an important factor in how food activities were practiced and how participation in and influence on food activities were distributed among family members. Children´s participation in and influence on the family food were bound by the opportunities and constraints of their familial practices and their individual preferences. In all families, mothers are in charge of organizing food buying and the consumption process. Children participate in and help with decision-making regarding ideas, general food choices for meals, and decisions that are more practical. Parents are still the major influence on the food choices of their children.
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