Research Problem: Advertising critics argue that consumer behaviors and cognitions of the youth are heavily influenced

by advertising. Advertisers contest and say that these attitudes are influenced mostly by peers and parents. Interpersonal processes can mediate the effects of advertising. (Robertson, 1979) Effects may be longitudinal, because maturation and experience adds up to the cumulative exposure and critical thinking of kids when they watch ads. (Adler, 1977) The study measures the short-term and long-term effects of advertising and television commercials on the youth in four specific aspects in consumer behavior: consumer role perceptions, consumer activity, materialism and sex-role conceptions. Learning takes place when interaction with others ensues. Method: The method had two waves: anonymous questionnaires given 14 months apart. Given to a sample of 683 youths from sixth to twelfth grades in rural Georgia. The second wave of questionnaires was given to a subsample of 211 respondents. Accurate matching of the two anonymous surveys was done through the birth date and other demographic details of the respondents. The survey was of questions about their cognitions on consumer rights and positions (consumer role perceptions), ability to purchase and consume products responsibly (consumer activity), happiness and satisfaction with possessing goods (materialism), and the influence of their parents and husband and wife on them (sex-role conceptions). Main Arguments: Media strengthens cognitions and predispositions, but media effects is more neutralized by interpersonal relationships with opinion leaders in a two-step flow. (Bauer, 1964) Interpersonal communication should have a larger influence on consumer behavior, regardless of the amount of television ads the subject consumes. The impact of interpersonal processes should be determined by the frequency of communication with peers and family. Good Points: Hsfgh Bad Points: Almost 70% of the respondents in the first wave could not be included in the second wave of surveying due to graduation, relocation, and other ordeals. This makes the results less precise and more prone to generalization, because of the loss of a great number of original respondents. Recommendation (who might be interested): Direct audiences: the youth, advertising agencies, brands Indirect audiences: schools, family members, media practitioners in other fields Essentially significant for all members of society because it somehow affects the entire communityseeing as how the generation of the youth makes such an impact on everyone and everything in todays social order.