Do I question what influencers sell me? Integration of critical thinking in the advertising literacy of Spanish adolescents

This study investigates Spanish adolescents’ capacity for critical thinking when encountering influencer marketing. Utilizing Van Laar's (2019) five components of digital critical thinking (clarification, evaluation, justification, linking of ideas, and novelty), a qualitative approach with 62 adolescents (11-17 years old) in twelve discussion groups revealed a correlation between critical thinking and advertising literacy's cognitive and affective dimensions. While adolescents demonstrated awareness of influencers' commercial intent, the ethical implications of influencer marketing practices were largely overlooked.

Beatriz Feijoo, Luisa Zozaya, Charo Sádaba