Is Society Creating Behavioral Problems in Our Children?

Technology, the internet, and data analytics have brought about many positive changes. They have also delivered some questionable results. While the marketing and advertising industries now understand their customers and target audiences better, it could be argued that they know them too well. Marketing is more powerful, and while adults are not as susceptible, children have not yet had the time and training to attain that capacity.

Marketing is Stronger on Kids

It is well-documented that children are more susceptible to marketing and advertising. It is also acknowledged that they wield control over a significant segment of retail sales dollars by exerting a powerful influence on their parents. This confluence of forces is becoming an issue, and children are exhibiting more negative behaviors. Even sports marketing is having a negative effect on kids, making them consume more junk food that sponsors their favorite games. A sales pitch is harder to resist when the visual appeal is so enticing.

Signs Your Kids Are Negatively Impacted

If you do not believe that marketing is dictating your own choices, it may be difficult for you to believe that it is significantly impacting your children’s daily decisions. To find out, simply monitor their actions. Pay closer attention to their requests. Once you begin to observe their behavior, ask yourself if you have seen those requests or actions somewhere else before. It won’t be all that difficult to determine if they are mimicking the behavior they’ve seen on television. If so, it is time to seriously reconsider what is happening in your home.

What’s Being Done?

You may accept your children’s behavior at home because you believe it is normal. Once they are at school, however, in a group setting, there is a different set of rules. Teachers and school officials notice when a child is acting out or exhibiting unhealthy behavior. Because of this, behavioral analysts are being placed in schools to identify and mitigate problems. They take a look at psychological influences in order to understand the source. Once the source is identified, a plan of action can be put together. The goal is to free students from the bonds that are negatively molding them and causing problems well into their adult years.

All is not lost. The best way to address a problem is to prevent it from ever arising in the first place. Given that marketing tactics can easily ingrain themselves into your children’s minds, simply limit the amount of time you kids are exposed to them.

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