Prosocial behavior in advertising aimed at children: A content analysis

Abstract

Much of the research on advertising aimed at children has focused on the immaturity of the child as a consumer. This paper examines children's advertising on a different level by describing its content in terms of beneficial or “prosocial” examples. Socialization of children through television has been the subject of many studies of conventional television programs, but not advertising. The content analysis described in this paper indicates that commercials for products like “Barbie,” “Care Bears,” and “McDonald's,” are rich in examples of sharing, courtesy, and physical affection. Outside the ethical issues of persuasion and consumerism, this study is one of the first to evaluate children's commercials in terms of its socialization potential.