The story labeled ‘booze-branded merchandise may spur teen drinking’ indicates that teenagers owning merchandise with alcohol brands are at a high risk of drinking (Rauf, 2016, p.1). The research indicated a strong relationship between owning alcohol-branded merchandise (such as caps and shirts) with actual drinking of alcohol. Teenagers who did not drink were likely to start drinking a year after acquiring alcohol-branded items. Ownership creates the onset of drinking but has no influence on the amount of alcohol consumed. The conclusion emerges from a review of thirteen studies conducted by different researchers on the same subject. The review, however, did not offer a definite cause-and-effect relationship between these factors. It, however, offers an insightful view on factors contributing to teenage drinking, which is undesirable due to its effect on an individual’s judgment.
The elaboration-likelihood model of persuasion describes how a change in attitudes occurs and proposes two major routes of persuasion: the central and peripheral routes (White, 2011, p.11). Through the central route, persuasion occurs through by consideration of the positive points presented in support of the advocacy. This involves an in-depth analysis of the information presented to an individual through which he develops a high level of cognition. Attitude change becomes enduring and resistant due to the high level of critical thinking involved. The peripheral route, on the other hand, involves attitude change due to an individual’s association with positive or negative elements of the advocated position. The processing route adopted by an individual relies on their motivation and ability to process the information. Motivation depends on the relevance of information to an individual; a person who feels directly affected by information processes it through the central route and vice versa. It also depends on the ability of an individual to understand and critically evaluate information provided. Cognitive dissonance is a situation that involves conflicting attitudes, behaviors, or beliefs hence triggering a feeling of discomfort, which then leads to a change in beliefs, behaviors, or attitudes to restore balance and eliminate discomfort. Naturally, people seek consistence in their attitudes and beliefs and avoid dissonance. In a case where dissonance exists, an individual must find a way to eliminate it so that his beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors are consistent.
The elaboration-likelihood model of persuasion is essential in explaining the research findings in the influence of alcohol-branded merchandise on teenage drinking habits. At the initial stage, the teenagers did not have the alcohol persuasion messages at close proximity. With the acquisition of alcohol-branded merchandise, information about alcohol is readily available to the teenagers. The information is on personal items hence creating a personal relevance to the teenagers. It is also in close proximity and readily available for them to read or view constantly (Rauf 2016 p.5). They eventually get used to the information and relate to it with their personal items. The personal relevance of the information to the teenagers motivates them to think about it to the extent that their attitudes begin to change. Reading the advertisement messages on the items slowly persuades them to have a different outlook on alcohol. Familiarity with the product changes their attitudes, and they begin to consider consuming alcohol. Advertisement messages on personal items mostly feature attractive images of the product or people consuming the product. This attracts the teenagers who translate the information to indicate that consuming alcohol gives them an attractive life. Associating with the attractive images and characters triggers a peripheral route of persuasion that occurs without giving the teenagers an in-depth outlook on alcohol as well as its effects on their health. The persuasion results from the attractive appearance of the images on their caps, shirts, and other items. After persuasion, the teenagers change their previous position on alcohol and embrace it as part of their lives. The elaboration likelihood model perfectly explains how changes occur in the attitudes of teenagers with the close proximity of information promoting alcohol consumption and eventually turns them into consumers.
Cognitive dissonance also helps in explaining the phenomenon of teenage drinking influenced by owning alcohol-branded items. The messages displayed on the items carries attractive information meant to persuade consumers to purchase a certain brand. Teenagers know that drinking is not acceptable for them hence initially have no intentions of drinking. Availability of information promoting drinking, therefore, conflicts with their beliefs and they need to eliminate the dissonance. This may occur through a change of attitudes towards alcohol or resistance to the alcohol promotion attitudes (Festinger, 1962, p.52). Some teenagers may do this through changing their attitudes towards alcohol so that they are more favorable. Others may gather more information to reinforce their beliefs hence escape drinking. The third group may reduce the importance of the cognitions and pay less attention to their attitudes towards alcohol. The first and third groups are more likely to succumb to the drinking menace since they do not resist changes in their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Cognitive dissonance theory perfectly explains the effect of information on alcohol branding to the behavior of teenagers. The information affects the current balance or consistency of teenagers’ beliefs creating the need for a new balance.
References
Festinger, L. (1962). A Theory Of Cognitive Dissonance. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
Rauf, D. Booze-Branded Merchandise May Spur Teen Drinking. 1 April 2016. US News. Retrieved on 15 April 2015 www.health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2016-04-01/booze-branded-merchandise-may-spur-teen-drinking
White, H. A. (2011). Elaborate Likelihood Model. New York: Oxford University Press.
