Effects of female adolescent locus of control on shopping behaviour, fashion orientation and information search

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of female adolescent locus of control on attitudes towards shopping, fashion orientation and information search in the United States. The results indicate that female teenagers possessing an external locus of control orientation are more likely to prefer shopping in small clothing stores and are more prone to be loyal to known clothing brands than female teenagers possessing an internal locus of control orientation. Externals are also less likely to preplan their shopping trips, less likely to exhibit fashion innovativeness, less likely to be fashion opinion leaders and less likely either to desire or to search for fashion-related information. Implications for retailers in both the US and abroad as well as future research directions of these results are discussed.