Investigated children's susceptibility to TV advertising. 289 interviews with boys from Catholic primary schools examined the Ss' understanding of the commercials (cognitive) and their associated belief, affect, and motivational disposition (attitude). Maturational development influenced cognitive and attitudinal defenses to TV commercials. Increase in TV exposure was unrelated to the cognitive defense level. Children of better educated parents exhibited stronger cognitive and attitudinal defenses. First-born and only children tended to be more cognitively sophisticated than children with older siblings. Peers played an unimportant role in the acquisition of defenses to advertising.(PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved)