Children Interacting with Television Advertising Introduction .
The following research has sought to understand the influence of television on children over the past twenty years using a variety of social models, from public policy and industry self-regulation, to how children receive and process media messages and the parental responsibility in monitoring what is acceptable for children to view. As a baseline, our research used a model of children interacting with television. We expounded on this model in an effort to seek current data and information that affects children today. Our group divided this model into the following categories: Decision to View Television Public Policy Makers Consumer Protectionists Industry Self-Regulation Television Advertising Message Receiving and Processing Message Cognitions Behaviors Parents After analyzing this model, we conducted our own research to study current trends and determine whether childrens' behavior has changed significantly in the past 20 years. Our empirical research includes studies in contemporary advertising techniques, changes in children's television viewing preferences, and the relationship to childhood development. Each category explains a different element of the process of how children interpret and act upon the medias influence. The Decision to View Television and Parental Influence Today, children in the United States watch an average of 3 to 5 hours of television every day, and up to an average of 24 hours of television a week. Did you know that on average, children will see 576 or more commercials each week? Children's programming devotes up to 12 hours to advertising a week. Research has demonstrated that the effect of television viewing on children leads to a number of possible problems. Television affects social and emotional behavior, creativity and language skills, and school achievement. There is an organization out there in support of children and parents who are concerned with the way television is being viewed.
