Reading Passage 12

EFFECTS OF ADVERTISEMENT ON CHILDREN

A Report from American Psychological Association

1. The task force reviewed research addressing two important types of questions regarding the effects of advertising on children. First, does advertising affect children’s commercial recall and product preferences? If not, the $12 billion spent annually by advertisers in commercial appeals to children would represent a surprisingly poor investment. Second, does exposure to advertising result in consumption of products that are inimical to the health and well-being of children? For example, does advertising play a role in the overconsumption of candy and sugared cereals or in underage drinking of alcoholic beverages?

2. Research on children's commercial recall and product preferences confirms that advertising typically achieves its intended effects. A variety of studies using differing methodologies find that children recall content from the ads to which they've been exposed. Product preference has been shown to occur with as little as a single commercial exposure and to strengthen with repeated exposures. Most importantly, studies have shown that product preferences affect children's product purchase requests and that these requests do influence parents' purchasing decisions.

3. The more fundamental concern regarding the effects of advertising on children relates to questions of potential harm resulting from exposure. A variety of research findings are relevant to this issue. Several studies, for example, have found that parent–child conflicts occur commonly when parents deny their children's product purchase requests that were precipitated by advertising. Considerable research has examined advertising's cumulative effect on children's eating habits. Studies have documented that a high percentage of advertisements targeting children feature candy, fast foods, and snacks and that exposure to such advertising increases consumption of these products. While consumption of nonnutritious foods per se may not be harmful, overconsumption of these products, particularly to the exclusion of healthier food, is linked to obesity and poorer health. Several studies have found strong associations between increases in advertising for nonnutritious foods and rates of childhood obesity.

4. A variety of studies have found a substantial relationship between children's viewing of tobacco and alcohol ads and positive attitudes toward consumption of such products. Children find many such commercials attractive (e.g., Joe Camel, the Budweiser frogs) and consequently have high brand awareness of such products and positive attitudes toward them. These products and their spokes-characters have been found to be featured in programming and publications frequently viewed by minors, and reviews of this research (including the Surgeon General's analysis) conclude that advertising of them contributes to youth smoking and drinking.

5. Critics have also expressed concern regarding the prevalence of advertising of violent media, such as movies and video games, targeting children. Three reports by the Federal Trade Commission found considerable support for such charges, and while studies have not directly assessed the impact of such advertising, it is highly likely that such ads do affect children's media preferences.

[APA and Affiliated Journals - Home - APA]

Answer the following questions based on the passage:

1. What does the sentence: “If not, the $12 billion . . .” primarily convey? (Para 1)

A. Optimism and confidence in advertisers' strategies.

B. Skepticism and questioning the investment's effectiveness.

C. Indifference towards the financial aspect of advertising.

D. Acknowledgment of the considerable success of advertising strategies

2. In the sentence, "These requests do influence parents' purchasing decisions," what does the word "do" primarily emphasize?

A. Past tense of the action.

B. Intensity or emphasis on the influence.

C. Conditional aspect of the influence.

D. Lack of influence on parents' decisions.

3. What does the term "cumulative" imply in the sentence: "Considerable research has examined advertising's cumulative effect on children's eating habits"? (Para-3)

A. Immediate and short-term impact

B. Individual and isolated influence

C. Long-term and compounded impact over time

D. Temporary and reversible consequence

4. What does contribute to the promotion and endorsement of the tobacco and alcohol products?

5. “Three reports by the Federal Trade Commission found considerable support for such charges”. What are the charges? (para 5)

6. How do product preferences, as per the paragraph, influence children's actions?

A. They have no influence on children's behavior.

B. They affect children's academic performance.

C. Product preferences impact children's purchase requests.

D. They solely influence children's eating habits.

[ANSWERS]