Skip to main content

The Older Child: Becoming a Serious Consumer

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Consumer Psychology
  • 1265 Accesses

Abstract

Brian Young continues his journey by examining the child at school developing as an autonomous consumer (with a little help from the Bank of Mum) and how strands of socialisation shape children’s understanding of money and brands. Being able to control and manage behaviour is key to serious development. These recent developments in children’s development of their executive control in different situations are summarised and the updated review of work on advertising to children and the child’s understanding of brands is essential reading.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Ambler, T. (2008). Who’s messing with whose mind? International Journal of Advertising, 27(5), 885–895.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • American Marketing Association. (2017). Definition of marketing. Retrieved October 14, 2017, from https://www.ama.org/AboutAMA/Pages/Definition-of-Marketing.aspx.

  • Bannister, R., Heckman, P., & Sharkey, S. (2017). National standards in K-12 personal finance education (4th ed., 2nd printing). Washington, DC: Jumpstart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bartholomew, A., & O’Donohoe, S. (2003). Everything under control: A child’s eye view of advertising. Journal of Marketing Management, 19(3–4), 433–457.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernier, A., Carlson, S. M., & Whipple, N. (2010). From external regulation to self-regulation: Early parenting precursors of young children’s executive functioning. Child Development, 81(1), 326–339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berti, A. E., & Bombi, A. S. (1981). The development of the concept of money and its value: A longitudinal study. Child Development, 52, 1179–1182.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berti, A. E., & Bombi, A. S. (1988). The child’s construction of economics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bijmolt, T. H. A., Claassen, W., & Brus, B. (1998). Children’s understanding of TV advertising: Effects of age, gender, and parental influence. Journal of Consumer Policy, 21, 171–194.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bonn, M., & Webley, P. (2000). South African children’s understanding of money and banking. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 18, 269–278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buckingham, D. (2009). The impact of the commercial world on children’s wellbeing: Report of an independent assessment. Retrieved October 14, 2017, from http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20120507221206, https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationdetail/page1/DCSF-00669-2009.

  • Buckingham, D. (2011). The material child: Growing up in consumer culture. Cambridge: Polity Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carlson, S. M. (2003). Executive function in context: Development, measurement, theory, and experience. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 68 (Serial No. 274).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chaiklin, S. (2003). The zone of proximal development in Vygotsky’s analysis of learning and instruction. In A. Kozulin, B. Gindis, V. Ageyev, & S. Miller (Eds.), Vygotsky’s educational theory and practice in cultural context. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chan, K. (2000). Hong Kong children’s understanding of television advertising. Journal of Marketing Communications, 6(1), 37–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Danes, S. M. (1994). Parental perceptions of children’s financial socialization. Financial Counseling and Planning, 5, 127–149.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ekström, K. M. (2006). Consumer socialization revisited. In R. W. Belk (Ed.), Research in consumer behavior (Vol. 10, pp. 71–98). Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ekström, K. M., Tansuhaj, P. S., & Foxman, E. R. (1987). Children’s influence in family decisions and consumer socialization: A reciprocal view. In M. Wallendorf & P. Anderson (Eds.), Advances in consumer research (Vol. 14, pp. 283–287). Provo, UT: Association for Consumer Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Faber, R. J., Perloff, R. M., & Hawkins, R. (1982). Antecedents of children’s comprehension of television advertising. Journal of Broadcasting, 26(2), 575–584.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fodor, J., & Garrett, M (1966). Some reflections on competence and performance. In J. Lyons & R. Wales (Eds.), Psycholinguistic papers: Proceedings of the 1966 Edinburgh conference. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friestad, M., & Wright, P. (1994). The persuasion knowledge model: How people cope with persuasion attempts. Journal of Consumer Research, 21, 1–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goad, L. (2011, April 24). Advergaming for children: Is this gamification gone wrong? Gamification. Edition UK: ZDNet. Retrieved November 11, 2017, from http://www.zdnet.com/article/adver-gaming-for-children-is-this-gamification-gone-wrong/.

  • Gunter, B., Oates, C., & Blades, M. (2003). Advertising to children on TV: Content, impact, and regulation. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gunter, B., Oates, C., & Blades, M. (2005). Advertising to children on TV: Content, impact, and regulation. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayta, A. B. (2008). Socialization of the child as a consumer. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 36, 167–184.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hémar-Nicolas, V., & Gollety, M. (2012). Using brand character when targeting children: What for? An exploration of managers’ and children’s viewpoints. Young Consumers, 13(1), 20–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • John, D. R. (1999). Consumer socialization of children: A retrospective look at twenty-five years of research. Journal of Consumer Research, 26, 183–213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • John, D. R. (2008). Stages of consumer socialization: The development of consumer knowledge, skills, and values from childhood to adolescence. In C. P. Haugtvedt, P. M. Herr, & F. R. Kardes (Eds.), Handbook of consumer psychology (pp. 221–246). New York: Psychology Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawlor, M.-A., & Prothero, A. (2003). Children’s understanding of television advertising intent. Journal of Marketing Management, 19(3–4), 411–431.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levinson, S. C. (1983). Pragmatics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Mallinckrodt, V., & Mizerski, R. (2007). The effects of playing an advergame on young children’s perceptions, preferences, and requests. Journal of Advertising, 36(2), 87–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, M. C. (1997). Children’s understanding of the intent of advertising: A meta-analysis. Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, 16(2), 205–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • May, J. D. (1981). Practical reasoning: Extracting useful information from partial informants. Journal of Pragmatics, 5, 45–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McAlister, A. R., & Bargh, D. (2016). Dissuasion: The elaboration likelihood model and young children. Young Consumers, 17(3), 210–225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McAlister, A. R., & Cornwell, T. B. (2009). Children’s persuasion knowledge: The contribution of theory of mind. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 28(2), 175–185.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McAlister, A. R., & Cornwell, T. B. (2010). Children’s brand symbolism understanding: Links to theory of mind and executive functioning. Psychology and Marketing, 27(3), 203–228.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meins, E., Fernyhough, C., de Rosnay, M., Arnott, B., Leekam, S. R., & Turner, M. (2012). Mind-mindedness as a multidimensional construct: Appropriate and nonattuned mind-related comments independently predict infant–mother attachment in a socially diverse sample. Infancy, 17(4), 393–415.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mikeska, J., Harrison, R. L., & Carlson, L. (2017). A meta-analysis of parental style and consumer socialization of children. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 27(2), 245–256.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, S. A. (2009). Children’s understanding of second-order mental states. Psychological Bulletin, 135(5), 749–773.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore, E. S., & Rideout, V. J. (2007). The online marketing of food to children: Is it just fun and games? Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 26(2), 202–220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moses, L. J., & Baldwin, D. A. (2005). What can the study of cognitive development reveal about children’s ability to appreciate and cope with advertising? Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 24(2), 186–201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nairn, A., & Fine, C. (2008). Who’s messing with my mind? International Journal of Advertising, 27(3), 447–470.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ng, S. H. (1985). Children’s ideas about the bank: A New Zealand replication. European Journal of Social Psychology, 15, 121–123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oates, C., Blades, M., & Gunter, B. (2002). Children and television advertising: When do they understand persuasive intent? Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 1(3), 238–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Obias, R. (2013, March 22). 14 TV commercials made by famous movie directors. Mental Floss. Retrieved November 7, 2017, from http://mentalfloss.com/article/49603/14-tv-commercials-made-famous-movie-directors.

  • Owen, L., Lewis, C., Auty, S., & Buijzen, M. (2013). Is children’s understanding of non-traditional advertising comparable to their understanding of television advertising? Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 32(2), 195–206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pederson, D. R., & Moran, G. (1995). Appendix B. Maternal Behavior Q-set. In E. Waters, B. E. Vaughn, G. Poseda, & K. Kondo-Ikemura (Eds.), Caregiving, cultural, and cognitive perspectives on secure-base behavior and working models: New growing points of attachment theory and research. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development 60(2–3), Serial No. 244, 247–254. Revised version retrieved on October 6, 2017, from http://www.psychology.sunysb.edu/attachment/measures/content/pederson_qset.html.

  • Pine, K. J., & Veasey, T. (2003). Conceptualising and assessing young children’s knowledge of television advertising within a framework of implicit and explicit knowledge. Journal of Marketing Management, 19(3–4), 459–473.

    Google Scholar 

  • Preston, C. (2000). Are children seeing through ITC advertising regulations? International Journal of Advertising, 19(1), 117–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Repacholi, B. M., & Gopnik, A. (1997). Early reasoning about desires: Evidence from 14- and 18-month-olds. Developmental Psychology, 33(1), 12–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rifon, N. J., Quilliam, E. T., Paek, H. J., Weatherspoon, L. J., Kim, S. K., & Smreker, K. C. (2014). Age-dependent effects of food advergame brand integration and interactivity. International Journal of Advertising, 33(3), 475–508.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, D. F. (1982). Children and commercials: issues, evidence, interventions. Prevention in Human Services, 2(1–2), 19–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robertson, T. S., & Rossiter, J. (1974). Children and commercial persuasion: An attributional theory analysis. Journal of Consumer Research, 1, 13–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roedder John, D. (1999). Consumer socialisation of children: A retrospective look at 25 years of research. Journal of Consumer Research, 26, 183–213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Searle, J. R. (1976). The classification of illocutionary acts. Language in Society, 5, 1–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shannon, C. E., & Weaver, W. (1949). The mathematical theory of communication. Urbana: The University of Illinois Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Te’eni-Harari, T., Lampert, S., & Lehman-Wilzig, S. (2007). Information processing of advertising among young people: The elaboration likelihood model as applied to youth. Journal of Advertising Research, 47(3), 326–340.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tellis, G. J. (2004). Effective advertising: Understanding when, how, and why advertising works. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations. (2017). Sustainable development goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. Retrieved February 11, 2018, from https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg4.

  • Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes (M. Cole, V. John-Steiner, S. Scribner, and E. Soubermanm, Eds.). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ward, S. (1974). Consumer socialization. The Journal of Consumer Research, 1, 1–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wittgenstein, L. (1958). Philosophical investigations (G. E. M. Anscombe, Trans.). Oxford: Basil Blackwell. Part I. Sections 66–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong, M. (1989). Children’s acquisition of economic knowledge: Understanding banking in Hong Kong and the USA. In J. Vasiner (Ed.), Child development in cultural context (pp. 225–246). Norwood, NJ: Ablex.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood, D., Bruner, J., & Ross, G. (1976). The role of tutoring in problem solving. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 17, 89–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yaşare, A. A. (2016). The development of brand awareness in young children: How do young children recognize brands? International Journal of Consumer Studies, 40(5), 536–542.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Young, B. M. (1986). New approaches to old problems: The growth of advertising literacy. In S. Ward & R. Brown (Eds.), Commercial television and European children: An international research digest (pp. 67–77, 82–83). Aldershot, Hampshire: Gower.

    Google Scholar 

  • Young, B. M. (1990). Television advertising and children. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Young, B. M. (2000). The child’s understanding of promotional communication. International Journal of Advertising and Marketing to Children, 2(3), 191–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Young, B. M. (2013). Psychological approaches to advertising and marketing. In H. Montgomery (Ed.), Oxford bibliographies in childhood studies. New York: Oxford University Press. Retrieved October 15, 2017, from http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199791231/obo-9780199791231-0094.xml?rskey=tPfybo&result=54&q.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Brian M. Young .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Young, B.M. (2018). The Older Child: Becoming a Serious Consumer. In: Consumer Psychology. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90911-0_9

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics