Developmental antecedents to children’s responses to online advertising

Abstract

Many critics have raised concerns about online advertising directed to children. This study investigated the role of several antecedent variables that may impact children’s attitudinal and behavioural responses to online advertising. Specifically, online ad scepticism, family communication patterns, time spent on the internet, and perceived internet competency were examined as factors that may impact children’s online advertising attitudes and behaviours. A survey conducted with a dyad sample of 381 parents-preteens in South Korea revealed that children with high scepticism towards online advertising, who spent less time using the internet and who perceived lower levels of confidence about their internet skills were more likely to have a negative attitude towards online advertising and less likely to disclose personal information to online marketers. However, the relationship between family communication and children’s responses to online advertising found in this study was inconsistent with the previous empirical findings. Implications of findings are discussed and directions for future research suggested.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Wonsun Shin

Wonsun Shin is an Assistant Professor at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. She received her PhD from the University of Minnesota. Current research interests include interactive advertising and consumer behaviour, youth and interactive media, and consumer socialisation in the new media contexts.

Jisu Huh

Jisu Huh is an Associate Professor at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Minnesota. She received her PhD from the University of Georgia. Her research centres on advertising effects and consumer behaviour, especially focusing on DTC prescription drug advertising. Areas of research include advertising in the health care context, indirect advertising effects (third-person effects and influence of presumed influence), and credibility and trust in interactive advertising. Her work has been published in Journal of Advertising, International Journal of Advertising, Journal of Consumer Affairs, Communication Research, Journal of Health Communication, Health Communication and elsewhere.

Ronald J. Faber

Ronald J. Faber is Professor Emeritus in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota. He received his PhD from the University of Wisconsin. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Advertising and a former editor of the Journal of Advertising. His research interests include advertising effects, consumer behaviour and impulsive and compulsive behaviour. His research has appeared in numerous publications including Journal of Advertising, Journal of Advertising Research, Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Marketing, Communication Research, Journal of Clinical Psychiatry and the American Journal of Psychiatry.