Educação do consumidor e socialização: processos, agentes e contribuições para geração de equilíbrio nas relações de consumo

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation is to discuss the consumer education, promoted by consumer socialization process, as an alternative to reduce asymmetry between suppliers and demanders and to generate fairness in market relations. Consumer education is understood as the process that helps individuals to acquire knowledge, to develop skills and to be aware about their responsibilities as consumers and about the of their consumption choices consequences. Consumer education can also contribute to consumer to exercise of citizenship. Consumption was considered here as a social construction. Therefore, concepts from sociology, anthropology, and marketing were used to comprehend how people learn to consume. The theoretical framework addresses themes such as consumption, consumer education, socialization, and consumer vulnerability. A qualitative study with interpretative inspiration was carried out, using interviews with members from different generations of four families. The interviews allowed to identify primary and secondary socialization consumption agents. It is important to note that, sometimes agents assume both role. The results showed that the consumption, despite being part of everyday life, is rare in the formal learning. This shows us the informal aspect of the transmission of consumer behavior and unreflective aspect of consumption practice. The flows of knowledge, values and consumption behaviors were characterized in each family. Since we verified that these flows happen in a multidirectional way, we denominated them as "transgenerational transmissions". It was also identified how consumer education can be practiced by means of the socialization process. Suggestions were made to contribute with research and practice of consumer education such as: (a) to encourage the view that the individual can practice citizenship in his/her consumer choices, and (b) to warn family about practices with negative impacts on children and adolescents. We found also that consumer education actions, in order to have real effectiveness, should start in the early childhood by socialization agents, including the school and the family. As a result, it is expected more reflexive individuals with knowledge about consumer relations and awareness about their consumption choices consequences. We hope to contribute to reach balance and fairness in the marketing system.