The Effects Of Tv Adverts On Children
[A CASE STUDY OF ENUGU URBAN]

1.3 OB JECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The study will focus on selected TV adverts with a view to ascertaining the followings:

a) To find out the various reasons why children watch TV adverts.

b) To determine the extent to which the childÂ’s response or practices behaviours acquired from viewing TV adverts.

c) The study also aims at determining the role of TV adverts in the childÂ’s socialization.

d) To know the particular advert that interests the children most in television.

e) To know if children like other adverts apart from TV adverts.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Children constitute an essential fragment of every home, and society. Consequently, the society and the government in particular pay a lot a attention to all issues affecting the welfare of the children, the effecs, which adverts have on children, constitute one of such issues. If not checked, such effects of TV advert are likely to make the child develop along negative lines.

The significance of this study is a therefore to outline and examine these factors in a TV advert which negatively affect the childÂ’s development so that the family, government and society at large can control and educate them. The second significance is to examine how effective the various existing machineries aimed at children have been. Hence, the likelihood is that we shall see greater control by government, the media and the advertisers of TV adverts, (Wright et al, 1978). To contribute to the knowledge already existing in this area of study can be said to be another significance or importance of the study.

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

i) Are children portraying positively in TV adverts?

ii) Do children behave positively towards TV adverts?

iii) Are children portrayed as special television advert viewers?

iv) DO female perform more in TV adverts than male?

v) Do TV advert inspire children after watching?

1.6 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H1: Children are generally portrayed positively in TV adverts.

H0: Children are not portrayed positively in TV adverts.

H2: Children behave positively towards TV adverts.

H0: Children do not behave positively towards TV adverts.

H3: Children are portrayed as special TV adverts viewers.

H0: Children are not portrayed as special TV advert viewers.

H4: Female performs more in TV advert than male.

H0: Female do not perform more in TV adverts than men.

H5: TV adverts inspire children after watching.

H0: TV advert do not inspire children after watching.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS/VARIABLES CONCEPTIONAL AND OPERATIONAL

The variable for this study: “The effects of television advert on children” are conception ally and operationally defined as follows:

Effects In this study, effects refer to the results or consequences of one thing or the other.

1. Effects can be operationalised as follows:

i) Positive effects

ii) Negative effects or side effects

iii) Neutral effects

Positive effects refer to those effects, which are in line with the accepted, societal standards and values or which tend to encourage the development of the child along this line.

Negative or side effects refers to those effects which tend to discourage the child from developing along accepted societal standards and values. 

Several types of behavioural and emotional responses of a negative or antisocial nature may be associated with TV adverts. Among the undesirable outcome that have been studied are – parent – child conflict and child unhappiness: (Palmer 1980).

Neutral effects are those effects, which are neither positive nor negative; it refers to a situation whereby the advert makes no impact on the child.

2 Television Adverts: TV adverts refers to a marketing tool or communication whose aim is to build preferences for advertised brands and services are transmitted through a visual and audio medium. This can be operationally defined as:

Adverts that are paid for by the advertiser and aired through the television.

3. Children: Conceptionally children cab be defined as persons that have not attained the age of puberty.

Operationally-children can be defined or classified: Biological and socially.

Biologically, any one under the age of 13 is a child; this is the age at which a child reaches puberty and thence forth regarded as an adolescent. Other texts maintain that childhood ends at 12. In his book, children and television, Brown (1976) divided his studies into those concerning young children (ages 5-12) and those concerning adolescents (age 13 – 18).

Socially, most people are regarded as children until they reach their mid teens, especially the age 16. This explains why some social events and activities such as admission into Nigerian Universities are restricted to those who are socially developed at least up to the age of 16.Most nations of the world also do not give children under the 18 years of age the right to vote at elections.