An ethnography of the transfer of food learning within the family

Kafia Ayadi and Joël Bree (joel.bree@unicaen.fr)
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Kafia Ayadi: Pôle Jeunes et Pratique Responsable - Rouen Business School - Rouen Business School
Joël Bree: Pôle Jeunes et Pratique Responsable - Rouen Business School - Rouen Business School, NIMEC - Normandie Innovation Marché Entreprise Consommation - UNICAEN - Université de Caen Normandie - NU - Normandie Université - ULH - Université Le Havre Normandie - NU - Normandie Université - UNIROUEN - Université de Rouen Normandie - NU - Normandie Université - IRIHS - Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire Homme et Société - UNIROUEN - Université de Rouen Normandie - NU - Normandie Université

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Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to describe an ethnographic research study conducted within French families in order to examine the transfer of food learning between parents and children. Design/methodology/approach – An ethnographic study in the respondents' home was conducted. Semi-directive interviews with children and parents and observation were carried out in heterogeneous families. Findings – Results indicate that food meal time is a way of socializing family members in consumption skills related to food. Food learning took place in two ways: from parents to children and from children to parents. Through different socialization factors, children will discover new food products or food practices and will be able to bring them to the home. By sharing these new experiences, children teach (directly or indirectly) parents new consumption skills related to the food domain. The food environment (e.g: familial atmosphere, interactions around the meal), more than the act of eating itself allows for a better understanding of food transmission within the family. Research limitations/implications – These findings would be of benefit to public policy as well as to investors and food manufacturers by integrating the reverse socialization aspect. Limits and research perspectives are discussed after the presentation of the results. Originality/value – The paper investigates interactions between parents and children within their natural setting: their home

Keywords: family roles; consumer behavior; Children (age groups); socialization; learning methods; France (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010-03
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Published in Young Consumers, 2010, 11 (1), pp. 67-76. ⟨10.1108/17473611011026028⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-00565490

DOI: 10.1108/17473611011026028

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