Intergenerationally Gifted Asset Dispositions

Journal of Consumer Research · 2009 · Volume 36 · Issue 1

Abstract

This study examines the mechanisms by which intergenerationally gifted assets are transformed into inalienable wealth and describes how such gifts convey and transfer meaning within families. The study's findings reveal that individuals employ indexical accounts to allocate assets in support of relational goals and employ prosaic accounts to achieve utilitarian goals. These findings contribute to intergenerational gifting theories by demonstrating how an asset transitions between inalienable and alienable states, identifying antecedents and consequences of prosaic and indexical accounts, explaining the interactions between inalienable and alienable states and between indexical and prosaic account allocations, and discussing the implications of labeled assets on consumer behavior.

Keywords

Charity and Gift Giving, Sex roles/Gender Issues, Social Class, Categorization

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