From the research presented by Sutton-Smith, "the data show that the younger children (those under six years) do not easily distinguish between programs and commercials; that in fact most of them (over one half) trust, like, and want to see commercials" (189-190). However, Sutton-Sn-iith notes that as children grow older, they begin to trust television less, perhaps due to "the failure of purchased items" (190). One must question what sort of effect the trust and belief in television and advertisements at a young age has on children in the long

run. Is this something that effects their life-long role as consumers?

Answers to this question come in several different forms. According to Carlsson-PaigeALevin, toy advertisements "undemiined children's basic sense of self-sufficiency in play" (84). Carlsson-Paige/Levin write that this occurs because "every toy had one specific function so a child would have to buy lots of them in order to play" (84) and that "once they (the toys) have been used in the intended way and the novelty wears

off, it's hard to figure out what to do with them next- how to use them in a creative and imaginative way" (84). Sutton-Smith also notes toys as novelty. In a survey included by Sutton-Sniith, "the average number of toys in the one-year-old's bedroom was 28 and for the six-year-old it was 91 " (176). Later, Sutton-Sn-iith describes how this mass quantity of toys could be viewed:

A socialist cynic would say that in addition to teaching children capitalist habits of consumption and waste, and teaching children to grow up with their self-esteem tied to the receiving of novel and unnecessary gifts or toys, we are also teaching them the addiction of novelty. By constantly changing the toys presented to children, it might be said we are educating them in distraction; teaching them never to pay enduring attention to any particular thing, because other more novel items will soon arrive. (187)

On the other hand, Sutton-Smith acknowledges another point of view which is that "toy novelty is also a kind of information and a kind of leaming" (188). This perspective believes that "children are being habituated to the constant barrage of ever-changing stimulating in toys because that is also a feature of late 20th century living" (189).

From observing actual toy commercials that are currently being shown on television, several clear messages,

or signs, can be derived. The first of these messages relates to how toy advertising relates to gender. There is a large distinction between toys that are made for boys and toys that are made for girls when it comes to advertising. Boys commercials are filled with adventurous music and loud booming voices where as girls commercials have light, happy music. Colors that are used in toys, packaging, and commercials also reflect what gender the commercial is aimed at. Girls toys are advertised with colors such as pink, purple, and other pastels. Boys toys are advertised with dynamic colors like red, yellow, black, or primary colors. Commercials advertising toys for boys show powerful images such as fighting and action with cars, guns, super-heroes, action figures, etc. Commercials for girls, however, seem soft and peaceful featuring play kitchens and dolls. The overall sign of these gender stereotyped toy conunercials is that society still wants girls to grow up to be docile, soft individuals who are good mothers, house keepers, and wives, and boys to be strong, unfeeling, aggressive fighters.

D o the conunercials reflect existing differences between toy choices of girls and boys or do the commercials

and society influences cause these differences? Most sources seem to believe that toy preferences are both the results of "nurture and nature". According to Guber/Berry, "the process that results in children's adopting sexual roles and behavior appears to come from both nature and nurture, the interplay of genetics and socialization" (73). Sutton-Sniith also expresses a similar opinion. Goldstein states that when children are

given a choice, "girls tend to choose dolls and household objects, and boys soldiers and trucks" (I 15). Goldstein goes on to discuss whether these differences are due to "biological" or "social" processes or a combination of both. Goldstein believes that television commercials do play a role in "sex role stereotypes"

(I 27). Goldstein reports that "children of all ages tended to identify the advertisements with girls' features as female and those with features from conunercials for boys as male"(127) when shown two types of commercials, "one containing clusters of features that appeared mainly in advertisements for boys and one with features appearing in advertisements for girls" (127). Children are developing identities and they model their behavior after what they can identify with. This would explain why girls and boys choose different toys; they are trying to model their behavior with what is shown to be acceptable.