Gratidão, consumo e bem-estar: uma análise das práticas alimentares no contexto da socialização do consumidor

Abstract

This thesis studies the gratitude developed in the consumer socialization process and its interrelationships with the food consumption of children in the family context in the light of the theories of social practice. The general objective was to analyze the intersections between gratitude practices and children's food consumption practices in the family context that contribute to well-being. The specific objectives were (1) to identify the family's general consumption habits and behaviors, (2) to understand eating routines at home and the development of children's eating practices, (3) to describe the practices of parents and children who express gratitude and (4) discuss actions in the family and social spheres that aim to develope gratitude in childhood and how it can contribute to a more harmonious relationship with the world of consumption. The study adopted the vision of Transformative Consumer Research so that the results generated indicate advances in the well-being of consumers, specifically children. Using a qualitative research perspective, we conducted interviews with

10 families, with a total of 23 participants, 11 parents and 12 children. In addition, we used self- photographs of the participants, non-participant observation in supermarkets and media analysis

as data collection strategies. Through inferences, based on the technique of content analysis, comparisons, experiences, meanings and messages were evaluated. Thus, we were able to understand that eating practices, related to more general consumption behaviors and gratitude suggests that the virtue of gratitude influence to a more benevolent and altruistic look on caregivers that make them more aware of the responsibility of consumption, whether it is food or not. There is an intention to teach good eating habits and to train future consumers. However, at the same time that we see such an effort, parents often live with the dilemmas of giving unhealthy food to their children, but perhaps due to the characteristic, imposing parenting style, they manage to make concessions and demonstrate flexibility. We note, above all, that the concern with food, which may be related to food literacy, in which all families showed to have a certain understanding on the subject, and the adoption of practices different from those experienced by parents in childhood, has led to the emergence of practices different from those of the past, prioritizing healthy eating, although it is common to consume unhealthy foods (hamburger, french fries, sweets, pizza, etc.) during family leisure time. It is interesting, however, that in the past, family meal times were more common in view of the existence of another economic and work context, but today, although parents think it is important, they face more difficulties to get everyone together at the table. Children, in turn, expressed gratitude in different ways, showing that they are in full moral, social and emotional development, being able to understand situations in which gratitude is socially desired and valued. We could see that in general consumption they learned to relate gratitude to receiving a gift, but more than that, they are being taught by parents about people's appreciation of material goods. It is worth noting, however, that we have not seen a devaluation of material goods, on the contrary, we note the search for recognizing the value and effort made to buy material goods, being acceptable and desirable to see the value of work, and consequently, of the money, developing in the child an awareness that buying is an activity that requires a certain level of effort, so it cannot be done irresponsibly. For this reason, we see words like “save”, “promotion”, “piggy bank”, “research” in their speeches. With regard to food, we saw that gratitude is very much related to the moment of the meal, in which some parents ask their children to thank God for the daily meal, although we note that this is another fulfillment of the parents' request, in view of the required subjectivity. From another point of view, we see that the satisfaction generated in children when having their parents together at meal time causes contentment and joy in them, indicating the reinforcement of social ties. Thus, we found associations of gratitude with the families' food and general consumption behaviors, revealing social practices with meanings that, in the view of the participants, contributed to the achievement of well-being. Finally, we could see throughout the development of this thesis that gratitude can be seen from the point of view of social practice, and, therefore, it would be coherent to see such associations from the so-called “nexus of practices”, revealing that the practices overlap and relate in such a way that create a rhythm and pattern of behaviors that we were unable, at first, to separate one from another, since the conjunction of practices shapes the daily lives of people who see it as a whole.