In competitive societies, educational products represent significant purchase decisions for families. As noted by HKUST’s Qihui Chen and her coauthors, “Parents’ preferences when purchasing educational products for their children are primarily shaped by their values, beliefs, and observations of society.” Their research shows that the choice between educational purchases focusing on a child’s strengths or weaknesses depends on parents’ perceptions of how society operates, specifically the extent to which they believe society allows for status advancement through hard work.

As many would agree, the question of whether pupils should become specialists or all-rounders is a perennial dilemma for parents and educators, with considerable economic implications. The researchers note, “In some cases, parents prefer to purchase products that enhance a child’s strengths; in other instances, they opt for products that address a child’s weaknesses.”

The researchers explain that when parents consider shopping for study aids, they are more likely to prioritize status advancement and choose something that accentuate their child’s strengths if they envision a world of high social mobility. These educational choices can help their child become a specialist. Conversely, “parents care more about shoring up their current social position and tend to select products that remedy their child’s weaknesses when they perceive low social mobility,” the researchers continue. In this situation, parents use their educational purchase to cultivate an all-rounder.

“Simply put,” the researchers conclude, “parents purchase educational products for their cross-generational status pursuit.” These insights into the tradeoff between status advancement and maintenance have important implications for marketers and education policymakers.