Advertising and Young Age Children Essay

Of entirely the Big ideas that present transmuted how we digest in the world only one has achieved total supremacy. Its overwhelming and compulsive invite rob its followers of reason and good sense (Van Boven, 2005). It has created unthinkable unsustainability and inequalities among countries, which straight off pose a stronger threat to gay option than any different phenomena previous(prenominal)(Assadourian et. al, 2010). It is now much than soulfulnessnelful than any religion, reaching into every break of the western world this monstrosity of an idea is realizerism. It dominates the mentalitythat we should all actively be trying to consume more everyday and every form, with the more we consume leading to get around lives and greater happiness. However as we witness the face-lift in cordial businesss such as child obesity, crime and mental disorders in the western world we mustinessiness consider if there is a link, and as numerous studies hurt now shown t he relationship is substantial (Wilkinson and Pickett, 2009).A peeledly Big Idea involving a cultural rouse must take holding converting people to sustainability and reduction ofconsumption before it is too juvenilityful for us, and more importantly the environment (Skinner, 1976). Reports now show we ar hazardously close to the 2 degree Celsius increase in temperature that entrust charge up us over the edge of climate re-stabilization(Meinshausenet al, 2009). Global efforts to reduce coulomb sackings and promote sustainability such as the Kyoto protocol atomic number 18 in dimension however the central problem of consumerism is not world turn to. The next genesis leave behind grow up in a world where all they know is how to buy. We are steadily loosing the basic skills that keep back assured human survival to this day. tout ensemble our children are controling is how to get the best bargains at Tesco and have biography aspirations contented on money and p ossessions. If consumerism is to be cut we must promote other substitutesamong the youth and at the very least(prenominal) reduce the current impact of consumerism on their amazement.Children as targetsFrom a consumerist take aim of view children are the perfect customers, they have no previous judgement of other products, they are impulsive and will be loyal for life if hooked young. They are the virtually susceptible to advertizement and promotion and most interested in new products. Children now account localisely for an estimated $36 trillion in sales annually in the USA, with their indirect buying power accompanied by the so called nag-factor (Zelizer, 2002) reaching over $290 billion of economic spending (McNeal, 1992). This is not a coincidence, but a direct conduct of intense advertising and co existing problems of a consumer society. For framework with over 70% of mothers now working more and more, consumer tasks are illume to the children.It is now estimated th at by age 10, the average child cites over cinque trips a week to a shop or shopping center (McNeal 1992). And with over $1 billion being spent every year on child advertising and an additional $10 billion on promotion in the USA alone, these children have more purchasing power than ever. over the last decade there has been a dramatic shift in the age of children which marketers target resulting in the creation of the Tweens. From the age of 9 to 14 years children are now considered to be midway mingled with childishness and adolescence and unlike other timess acquisition and accumulation of goods has be coiffure a preoccupying behavior (Goldberg, 2003). At this age children are still developing in all aspects cognitively, physically, emotionally, socially most importantly they are gaining value and worldviews. With the new preoccupation of consumerism at this young age children are becoming implicated with significant status and money, holding them as central values. Before the age of 8 children do not posses the necessary aim of cognitive military operation to understand the persuasive aim of advertising and as a result are under treat from the information received as it causes them to make un healthy choices about themselves and their relationships.At this age they are still relatively unaware of others perceptions and so are dominated by a self-absorbed focus (Kilby, 1993). There viewof materialism is therefore a very simple one of I want this, buy me this, but as children develop this view becomes more complex as material objects take on meaning and the achieving of these remnants become an priority. This view you are what you buy hashugeimplications for the childs one-on-one development and how they interact with their environment by nitty-gritty ofout life. Kranner and Gomes (1995) found that advertisements make children feel deeply inadequate un little they had certain products.They suggested this not only affects their self-c formerly it but also is likely to encourage negative behaviors such as stealing to obtain such goods. The views and values of todays youth are very different than the generation previous. Postman (1994) pointed out how childhood is not an immutable phenomenon but simply a sociocultural creation, which safe as its been created can be undone. He argued that advertising and marketing of products once aimed at older teens to junior and younger children is leading to the disappearance or at least alteration of childhood.Effects of advertising on childrenThe effect of childhood materialism are still a relatively new area of study however its impact is starting to be seen as children are becoming impacted at a younger age. childishness obesity has become commonplace in many western countries, kids are now smoking, drinking and taking drugs younger than never before, and they are measly from more emotional and mental health problems than any generation previous (Schor, 2004). These findings hig hlight the change that has occurred over the last 20 years with the offbeat of youth dramatically declining.Schor (2004) found connections betwixt increased consumerism and anxiety, fear, happiness, depression and social withdrawal.He found continually that consumerism came first and then the suffering followed, not the other way around like some try to suggest. some(prenominal) studies have now shown that this heightened focus on materialism changeschildrens values and worldviews. Langer (2005) stated, Global commercial culture, is an important source of symbolic material for children as they put together their concept of self. Children now define themselves through material possessions, as opposed to ethical views or community values.Skafte (1989) demonstrate the affects consumerism has on childrens concepts. He showed a group of tweens a delineation of a youth who was either abject or wealthy and asked them what they popular opinion of the person. The wealthier youth was p erceived as being more intelligent, getting better grades and making friends more easily. In a later study Dittmar& Pepper, (1994) replicated this using short written paragraphs describing either a rich or poor youth through consumer goods. The richer youth described as having more material possession was also perceived by the tweens as being more hard working, intelligent and victorful, but less warm. The extent to which materialism and consumer goods are seen by these youths to be central to a persons success in all other aspects of life is quite revealing, masking us how stuff now dominates over any other trait.The physical health of children is also greatly affected as children growing up in consumer cultures have relatively sedimentary lifestyles, leading to the problem of obesity and a great deal unhappiness (Klanie, 2005). Others argue that advertising and the wide availability of electronic media have taken the power of control away from the parents about what their chil dren learn. The dangerous bounteous world (particularly sex drugs and violence) is openly available for viewing by minors. All the evidence points to the conclusion that the valuing of wealth over other things is making children less healthy both physically and mentally (Kasser& Ryan, 1993).This is a case for earthly concern concern as its affects are filtering up the population as children who check over more TV, movies and videos are shown to have poorer school performance yet be over focused on wealth and consumer goods (Rideout, Foehr, Roberts &Brodie, 1999) creating a gap in expectations and reality. Research has also shown that parents transmit their values to their children(Carlosn&Grossbart, 1988), so if this generation grows up not valuing family and the welfare of the environment and society then the next generation is unlikely to either. For example just as the children of the great depression of the 1930s related to money in a certain way, usually being very cautious of it, todays youth will irrespectively act in the blow way becoming carefree and unknowing to the act of delayed aquisition (Gorn, Peracchio, Bamossy, 2003). This is starting line to be seen in the huge level of individual house hold debtacross the western world as people wish to obtain the comparable level of wealth as everyone else around them without the correct access of gist to do so. It is therefore vital that this orientation towards consumerism in youth is addressed through public policycreating a culture shift.Howconsumerist views can be changed.In order for consumerism to be reduced the mentality and views surrounding consumerism must be altered. From birth the hundreds of advertisements and marketing campaigns now shape us to hold the mentalityto resonate stuff which in return will shape who we are and work on happiness. La piere (1934) concluded that for change to take place three elements were needed, the person must feel they can do it, have access to memories o f natural action and feel that by not doing anything they are damaging themselves. Under this surmise education and awareness are not enough, they may be reformative in teaching people the dangers of over consumption but will not convince them they can do anything about it or bring them access to memories of action. Therefore actions on behalf of the policy makers and educators are vital in making people act and creating change.Under the policy of the American psychological Association (APA) it aims to work to mitigate the causes of human suffering, improve conditions of both the individual and society and Help the public in developing informed judgments(Commercail Alert, 1999). Over the last 20 years there has been a growing summate of inquiry done in the area of youth and advertising ofttimes of which has pressd on how to exploit childrens emotions to increase consumption. Corporations use psychological findings on childrens inescapably, cognitive abilities, changing atti tudes, and relationships with parents to sell their products (Youth Marketing Services, 2004).Thework of Psychologists in these corporations needs to be carefully monitored. The APA has now made recommendations and now search and investigations must concentrate on helping to counter act the say-so deadly effects of advertising on children, particularly children ages 8 and younger who lack the cognitive ability to recognize advertisings persuasive intent(Dittmann, 2004, p.58).By changing how advertising is conducted we can change the message of consumerism being pressure upon young children and hopefully reduce consumerism as a result. First and frontmost for this to occur Psychologists must stay informed, knowing about the relationship amidst a consumer culture and psychological disturbance (De Angelis, 2004). This will better clothe them to deal with questions placed to them, dealing with clients and corporations. Being able to communicate effectively with the greater publi c and corporations helps keep the public informed to the type of research being done, removing the perception of deception and also enables parents to teach their children how to not fall victim to the commercial culture (Kramer, 2006).By using innovative means of reaching out to the community through schools, policy and counter advertising we can begin to rebuild a level of trust between psychological science and the public, whist on the other hand teach the greater population to be wiser consumers and protect their children from its dangers. This could be implemented through systems already in place, for example Tidy towns in which Irish towns and cities compete for the appellation of Tidy town. A further dimension of sustainability could be added to this, in which town allotments, community trade and car pooling are also rewarded.Schools die hard key in the reduction of consumerism as they have long been connect to advertising and marketing (Spring, 2003). The development of a curriculum in which children learn about the persuasive nature of advertising and the risks of over consumption in all areas of life will work to bring such issues to their attention. This is just about in place in Ireland with the green schools initiative where school children are encouraged to recycle, compost and plant in their local area with the goal of attaining a green flag. This brings environmentally friendly ideas into action and uses a level of competition to make it more emotive. Also teaching elders about the harmful effects of consumerist aspirations and how they are developed could also help. However there needs to be a removal of all commercial advertising in schools as this should be one place children are free from the bombarding messages(Kramer, 2006). Universities and schools are natural sources of ideas, energy, and information, which should not consist of product placements but items that promote creativity and humanistic values.There are now plans in place to change the laws and governmental policies surrounding child advertising. Up until 1990 there were laws in place prohibiting the direct advertisement to children under a certain age however with the realization of its benefits to sales in the 90s it was abolished. Now with APAs proposal on the ethical implications of child advertising hopefully it will be illegal to advertise to children under the age of 8 imputable to their incapability of understand its intentions (Dittmann, 2004). Psychologists can also help to reduce the problem of consumerism by using their skills to develop advertisements that counter act the messages of consumerism.There should be public service ads, such as for road safety (which have reduced road deaths from 640 in 1972 to just 376 in 2002 (Road Safety Authority, 2012). They could concentrate on alternative sources for self-esteem and peer acceptance, such as showing kindness or humor. They could also promote the values and rewards that can come from fami ly and community interaction such as volunteering or participation in sport (Easterling, Miller, & Weinberger, 1995). These alternative messages of social orientation could shift the future goals of the youth and alter their values away from materialistic items, therefore protecting them from dangers of consumerism and trim the worlds consumption.ConclusionWe can see the harmful affects consumerism is having on our environment as we exhaust our natural resources and pollute those we have left, as we come dangerously close to the tipping point (Lenton et al, 2008). The only way to firmness this global problem is to act now, the resolution starts with us as individuals highlight the heavy implication of present detrimental government policies. This generation must put in place the tools that are needed to ensure the survival of the planet. At present we are doing the opposite in creating a more consumerist world through our children. We must act now to educate them to the faults of how we live and create a world in which we can exist without the delusive comfort of consumerism.ReferencesAssadourian, E. 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