The influence of advertising exposure on social media platforms on Saudi children’s materialistic attitudes

Abstract

In this new era, children form an attraction to materialism which shapes their perceptions of and attitudes to real-life values. With the rapid development of worldwide communication technologies, parents’ concerns about their children’s obsession with materialistic lifestyles have increased. Social media advertising is considered a hidden influencer that significantly affects children’s consumption trends. This study aims to explore the effects of social media platform advertisements on Saudi children’s materialistic attitudes. The sample included randomly selected children in Saudi Arabia aged 9 to 10 years of both sexes (n_boys= 180, n_girls= 220) who filled out a self-administered questionnaire. The results revealed a clearer picture of their materialistic tendencies than expected. They showed that there is a correlation between the amount of time children spend exposed to online commercial advertisements and materialistic attitudes. This negatively affects their self-confidence and self-acceptance. Most children believe that the better they look in photos posted on social media platforms wearing luxurious and expensive clothing brands, the more others will accept them. The results of our research have value for parents and policymakers by clarifying the impact of children’s repeated exposure to social media platform advertising on their consumerist attitudes, which strengthens their materialism and negatively affects their psychological health.