Pinpointing Persuasion in Children's Advergames: Exploring the Relationship Among Parents’ Internet Mediation, Marketplace Knowledge, Attitudes, and the Support for Regulation

As part of a larger online study that focused on parents of children between the ages of 7 and 11, this study examined how (1) parents' individual trait differences in persuasion knowledge and mediation of their children's Internet use was related to their persuasion knowledge of children's advergames, as well as their attitudes toward them, and (2) how parents' attitudes toward and persuasion knowledge of children's advergames was related to their attitudes toward regulating them. There was a strong negative relationship between parents' existing persuasion knowledge and the activation of persuasion in knowledge in children's advergames. There was also a strong positive relationship between parents' attitudes toward children's advergames and attitudes toward their regulation. Theoretical implications for persuasion knowledge research are discussed.