Previous research has found that children incrementally learn how to
cope with advertising as they age. The current research investigates
whether these developmental constraints in advertising knowledge at time
of exposure have enduring consequences. Results from four experimental
studies show that childhood exposure to advertisements can lead to
resilient biased product evaluations that persist into adulthood. Study 1
demonstrates that positive affect toward ad-related stimuli encountered
in childhood mediates the relationship between childhood advertising
exposure and biased evaluations for products associated with childhood
(but not adulthood) advertising. Study 2 demonstrates stronger biases
when participants are exposed to childhood advertising cues relative to
childhood consumption cues. Studies 3 and 4 show that even when ability
and motivation to correct bias are high, lingering positive affect
toward childhood ad-related stimuli is a motivational deterrent to
correct biased product evaluations. Study 4 also shows that biased
product evaluations can transfer to line extensions. [ABSTRACT FROM
AUTHOR]