Consumer socialization, parental style, and developmental timetables in the United States and Japan

In this article, the author examines consumer socialization, parental age e xpectations, and overall patterns of parent-child interactions in a cross-n ational context. Socialization is defined by a patient, maturational approa ch to parenting in Japan and by a greater emphasis on autonomy in the Unite d States. Japanese mothers have late consumer-related developmental timetab les and maintain greater control over their children's consumption than do American mothers, who encourage and expect the earlier development of indep endent consumption.