CHILDREN IN THE PROCESS OF CONSUMER SOCIALIZATION AND SUBLIMINAL MESSAGES USED IN CARTOONS

Abstract

Childhood is very important in the process of consumer socialization. The judgments that the individual gained in childhood are determinative in the perception of consumption and behavior as a consumer. In childhood, cartoons are watched repeatedly. In recent years, subconscious placements are frequently seen in cartoons, mostly in foreign productions. Subconscious messages are messages prepared below the awareness thresholds of individuals. Also, the effects of these messages on children are more pronounced than adults. The prediction that the subconscious can direct the decisions and behaviors of the individual, therefore, offers an area of intervention for those who want to have an influence on the behavior of individuals. These messages, which are exposed without consent and avoidance, are used in cartoons with remarkable frequency. The subliminal messages hidden in these films support the efforts of films to find a place in children's awareness, to put heroes into their imagination, and thus to become consumers of all the products of the film. In this study, first of all, the concepts of subliminal messages and consumer socialization are introduced and the possible effects expected with subliminal messages intentionally placed in many cartoons are discussed.