Examining Influence of Social Media Ads on Black and White Adolescents' Food Choices Master Protocol for Three Randomized Trials

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying how racially matched Facebook food advertisements affect the food choices and calorie intake of Black and White adolescents aged 13 to 17. The study consists of three randomized controlled trials aiming to understand the role of racial congruence, social media "likes," and food images in influencing adolescents' food purchases and consumption. The purpose is to better understand how social media ads might shape eating behaviors among these youth groups. The first two trials involve participants completing 15-minute online surveys where they view and rate different Facebook food ads before completing a virtual food purchasing task with selected food and beverage items. The third trial is a one-hour in-person lab study where participants view ads while researchers track their eye movements to see what parts of the ads attract attention. Ads vary by racial representation, number of "likes," and product type (food or non-food). Participants will provide demographic information such as self-reported height and weight after completing the tasks. The study measures include calories purchased and consumed, attitudes toward the ads, time spent viewing ads, and visual attention metrics like gaze duration and number of fixations. The study is double-blinded and randomized, with all procedures completed on a single day. Total participation time ranges from about 15 minutes for online tasks to 60 minutes for the lab study.

Influence of Social Media Ads on Food Choice - Master Protocol