Adolescent shopping behaviour: Different assimilation and individuation needs in France and the United States

• Adolescent autonomy from mothers affects the tendency to shop with friends.
• Culture moderates the relationship between autonomy and the tendency to shop with friends.
• Culture moderates the relationship between SNI and SII.
• Culture moderates the relationship between autonomy and SNI.

What causes adolescents to prefer to shop with friends rather than family? A study of 570 adolescents assesses the combined effects of the individuation and assimilation needs that underlie adolescent shopping behaviours across two cultures (France and the United States). Whereas assimilation is more important than individuation to explain the frequency of shopping with friends in France, individuation is more important in the United States. Insights into the motives that drive adolescents to shop with friends suggest some cues that retailers might use to attract this growing segment, more effectively and across cultures.