Ética publicitaria en productos para niños: Análisis de los límites entre persuasión y manipulación

Abstract

The study adopted a non-experimental, cross-sectional, and descriptive–correlational design, conducted with schoolchildren aged 9 to 11. The questionnaire included five items measured on Likert-type scales. A mediation test with bootstrap resampling was performed, combining descriptive statistics, correlations, and OLS regressions (Persuasion and Manipulation ~ Advertising Ethics + Understanding of Advertising Intent + Advertising Regulations; Attitude Toward Advertised Products ~ Persuasion and Manipulation). The findings indicated that advertising ethics, advertising regulations, and understanding of advertising intent were positively associated with persuasion and manipulation; in turn, persuasion and manipulation predicted attitudes toward advertised products. This confirmed an indirect path from ethical and regulatory components to attitudes toward advertised products through persuasion and manipulation. Since the effects were modest and the explained variance (R²) was moderate, it is inferred that this is a multicausal phenomenon influenced by family and school environments, the platform, and the advertising format. Among the main conclusions, it was found that literacy and transparency increase persuasive salience but do not neutralize it when creative design focuses on hedonic incentives; therefore, the practical control point lies in how the experience is structured (sequence, pacing, and incentive density). Implication: it is advised to move beyond mere formal compliance toward operational standards of responsible advertising that regulate the use of influencers, rewards, and gamification in child audiences.