Consuming Kids highlighted important points of how cognitive development is influenced by advertising and media exposure. With advertising kids are influenced cognitively. Children are categorized into the “cradle to grave” category. This category shows that from birth, children are sought after to become lifetime consumers. A cognitive effect of the media exposure is that it emphasizes on a “me” viewpoint. That the world revolves around me, me, and me. This consumerism feeds into a shallow and very materialistic viewpoint for children, that material things are important and equates with having a meaningful life. The media also impacts kids cognitively because they are influencing the mind of young boys and girls. Girls begin to place their worth on their looks, and feel the need to be pretty or sexy. …show more content…
The word tween itself categories young girls, and puts a distorted image into the minds of our youth. The media and advertising sell products that are overtly sexual. An example of this is shown with Bratz dolls, with short skirts and crop tops. These are adult messages that are being shown to children, and impacting the way they view themselves. While girls are being taught to be pretty or sexy, boys are taught to be aggressive and dominating. It sets gender roles into the minds of children, saying girls are meant to act one way and boys are meant to act another. It is not allowing kids to be themselves, and also causes them to grow faster than they should. Advertising does not allow for kids to be kids, and also sets a materialistic tone for life. Those are a few cognitive influences because of