The Development of Elementary School Children’s Understanding of TV Commercials

Abstract

This study explored the developmental model of Japanese children’s understanding of TV commercials, compared with the Western model of children’s consumer behavior in two phases. A questionnaire was administered to 344 children in grades one, three and five. In addition, interviews were conducted with 18 children. The results reveal the lower-grades didn’t understand the meaning, purpose and intention of commercials, the middle-grades was confused about them, and the higher-grades gradually considered them and had skepticism. The results suggest that the Japanese developmental model occurred in the above three phases, adapted to reflect the media literacy abilities of each target group.