Parent-Child Interactions and Children's Phygital Risk Behaviors: A Human-Centric Approach

Abstract

Phygitality creates environments filled with paradoxical situations and tensions. Using Paradox Theory as the macro-foundational lens, this conceptual article integrates Attachment Theory and Behavioral Control Theory as the supporting macro-foundations to explain how parental strategies (parental responsiveness, behavioral control, and psychological control) shape children's phygital self (intrapersonal self and interpersonal self), and, in turn, influence two forms of children's phygital risk behaviors: self-identity-related and social-related risks. The framework incorporates five contextual factors: two internal contextual factors at the individual level and family level, and three external contextual factors (educators, marketers, and public sectors). It further embeds the parent-child relationship within a broader macromarketing system, theorizing how these external stakeholders co-shape children's phygital environments and collectively impact societal well-being. Finally, we outline policy- and practice-oriented pathways for reducing phygital risks at scale, positioning parental strategy not as a private matter but as a lever for human-centric, responsible phygital governance.