Understanding Parental Concern about Toy-Based Programming: New Insights from Socialization Theory

In recent years, marketers have increasingly used toy-based programming as a means of promoting their products to children. While the practice remains controversial and likely to be the focus of continued governmental and advocacy group scrutiny, little is known about parents' reactions to such programming. The present study extends past research on the topic by empirically testing the notion that parental styles (socialization tendencies) may be influential in shaping parents' responses to toy-based programming. The findings indicate that parents exhibiting different parenting styles do tend to react differently to these programs aimed at their children.