Counterconformity: An Attribution Model of Adolescents' Uniqueness-Seeking Behaviors in Dressing
I-Ling Ling
This article discusses the theories behind why young adults make the purchasing decisions that they do, and specifically what causes some teens to be counterconformists and some to be conformist in their purchasing decisions. The study involves 443 Taiwanese high school students. The article puts forth the thought that young adults buy certain clothes because they fit into either the category titled “uniqueness seeking” or the “rubber stamp” category. The uniqueness seeking category would be students who choose to be counterconformists. They are the ones who dress in a way to be unique and different from their peers. The rubber stamp group of students is the group that would be considered the conformists. They choose to dress a certain way in order to fit in. The study specifically focuses on interpersonal influence. The author describes interpersonal influence as being made up of two sections: informational, which would be the logic or rationale behind the decision making and the normative, which would be the emotional aspect of the decision making. The study also sought out the difference in these two groups and how consumer self-confidence had an impact.
The study finds that the uniqueness seeking group tends to make decisions in order to be different and does not consult a group of peers for support of their decision. The rubber stamp group, on the other hand, does feel the need to consult with a group of peers before making a decision. The author describes how consumer self confidence shows no significant difference between the two extreme groups.
This study relates to our coursework this semester because it asks why these children behave a certain way. Why do they buy the clothes they buy? What influences them in these decisions? These types of questions are at the core of the definition of attribution that we have learned this semester.