The Use Of Children In Political Advertising In The 2012 General Elections In Ghana: A Survey Of Staff Of The Catholic University College Of Ghana And The Sunyani Polytechnic

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to solicit public opinion on the use of children in political advertising during the 2012 general presidential elections in Ghana and to determine whether the advertisements had any influence on electorates. The Elaboration Likelihood Model guided this study. This study used both quantitative and qualitative methods in gathering relevant data. The population for this study was drawn from the staff of the Sunyani Polytechnic and the Catholic University College of Ghana, Fiapre in the Brong-Ahafo region. The stratified sampling technique and random sampling procedure were employed to select 250 respondents out of 795 staff of the institutions. Purposive sampling method was used to select four key informants for the interviews. A self-administered structured questionnaire was the main data collection instrument for the survey. A structured interview guide was prepared and used to conduct the interviews with the key informants. The qualitative data was recorded, transcribed and analyzed based on the thematic areas of this study. This study found that majority of the respondents and key informants detested the use of children in political advertising. This study discovered that the respondents, who viewed children in political advertising as unethical, were not influenced unlike those who perceived it as positive. The findings of this study suggest that when children are used in political advertising concepts, they are exposed to risks of attack, discrimination and rejection from opposing party activists. This study also found that children could influence adults through emotional appeals, arousal of interest and evocation of affection to issues concerning them (children). Besides, this study findings suggest that respondents perceived the use of children in political advertising as unethical. This study recommends formulation of controls and regulatory instruments to protect children from political and electoral manipulations and activities.