TV Advertising Leads to Materialism Among Children
Children who are frequently exposed to TV advertising become more materialistic over time. According to a study in Communication Research advertising increases children’s desires for heavily advertised products which, in turn, lead to an increased focus on consumption in general.
- By promoting the ideology that possessions are important and that desirable qualities such as beauty, happiness, and success can be obtained through consumption, advertising stimulates materialism.
- Advertising not only increases children’s desire for advertised products, this increased desire also leads to an increased focus on consumption in general.
- Two intervention strategies could be applied to counter the effect of advertising: regulating children’s advertising exposure and teaching children how to deal with advertising critically.
Does children’s advertising exposure lead to materialism, and if so, how?
466 children, 8 to 11 years old, 55% girls
The children were part of a research panel that is representative for Dutch youth. They received the same questionnaire twice, with a one-year interval. Completing the survey took 15 to 20 minutes. Children answered questions about material possessions and advertising.
Facts and findings
- Children’s advertising exposure leads to increased materialism, because…
- advertising exposure leads to an increased desire for heavily advertised product types…
- this increased desire for heavily advertised product types leads to increased materialism