| Summary: | Purpose – This study provides a theoretical framework that explores the personality traits that
influence style adoption among the youth in South Africa. Five personality traits form part of the
framework, namely fashion consciousness, the need for uniqueness, susceptibility to
interpersonal influence, individualism/collectivism, and masculinity/femininity.
Methodology – A quantitative approach was undertaken and the data were collected by means of
self-administered questionnaires among 400 university students. Established multi-item scales
were adapted for the study, and a pilot test was used to confirm the validity of the multi-item
scales and the correctness of the data-gathering procedure. Following the data gathering and
coding, validity and reliability tests were carried out on the entire sample. A regression analysis
was used to test the relationships between the constructs.
Findings – The findings suggest that the dominant factors influencing style adoption are
susceptibility to interpersonal influence and masculinity/femininity. Fashion consciousness, the
need for uniqueness, individualism/collectivism and masculinity/femininity, influence the
knowledge acquired of style. One’s attitude towards style is influenced by the need for
uniqueness and masculinity/femininity.
Research Limitations - The results of this study may not be appropriate for generalizing across
the majority of youth culture in South Africa, and in a global context. However, understanding
one segment of the youth may be beneficial to practitioners in South Africa, and may encourage
exploration into other youth segments through continuous resampling and reassessment of
difference ages and gender populations.
Implications - By examining the youth and their sense of style, the study facilitates the
possibility of consumer-behaviour research that not only includes style in a broad sense, but also
explores post-modern and classic style expressions, thus providing a better understanding of
modern youth culture in a local context, and the influence of their personality traits on style
adoption.
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