Child Socialization via Media
Child socialization via media and the resulting consequences of this on a child’s health and well-being is at the root of my research. The process of socialization occurs when a child learns the attitudes, behaviors or values of a particular culture, accepting that set of norms for the society in which they belong. Socialization happens through caregivers, teachers, institutions, the media, and other channels of communication. Emerging media, such as the Internet have further expanded advertising’s reach and offers innovative opportunities to target young audiences and impact the way they consume (Moore 2004).
Jeffrey Arnett (1995) discusses the ways that adolescents use media in a way for self-socialization, independent of the influence of parents and other adult socializers. He states that the diversity of adolescents’ uses of media and the diversity of media around them make it possible for adolescents to determine their own ways in which they are socialized. However, the choices that children make might result in conflict when they are influenced by media in ways that go against the values and goals of their parents or other adults (Arnett 1995:530).
Television commercials and social media advertisements are main channels of media consumption, whereby children are attracted to the media being shown to them. Deborah John (1999) discusses the consumer socialization of children, and how cognitive and social development during a child’s life aids in the understanding of the consumer role. The period from birth to adolescence contains dramatic developments in cognitive functioning and social maturing, but age-related improvements in cognitive abilities contribute to the development of consumer knowledge and decision-making skills (John 1999:184). Critics argue that this is unfair because children lack the cognitive skills and life experiences needed to resist persuasive claims. Supporters, on the other hand, have argued that children’s vulnerabilities are often overstated and that by providing product information advertising helps parents and children to make more informed choices (Moore 2004:161).
Children are viewed as a future market and are often the target of campaigns aimed at establishing brand loyalties from an early age. This can be seen with McDonald’s, where they strive to form brand loyalty with their Happy Meals so that children will associate a positive connotation to the restaurant and continue to go there as they grow older. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has recently issued a report arguing that growing health problems such as childhood obesity and poor diets can be linked to the advertising of high fat, high sugar foods aimed at this younger audience (Moore 2004:162). Drawing on this information, researchers have studied what children understand from commercial messages, how they are persuaded, and how their responses change as they mature. As the media landscape that children face has diversified, the lines between advertising and entertainment have become progressively blurred (Moore 2004:163).
Promoted tie-ins or placements in movies further complicate the distinction between advertising and entertainment designed for children. McDonald’s partners with movies and brands, incorporating movie characters and games into their product line. These premiums and tie-ins are attractive to children, and a positive association is made between the McDonald’s product and this special toy or character. This association becomes a learned behavior, where unhealthy food is linked to a form of happiness. This lifestyle can lead to food-related health problems later in life if the child’s mindset is not changed early on.
Children are now exposed to advertising in multiple media forms, each of which has its own strength as a tool of persuasion. These media can have adverse effects on a child’s socialization patterns and may familiarize them to patterns and behaviors that may be eventually harmful to their health.
