ERIC_NO:
ED281673
TITLE:
The Development of Television Viewing Patterns in Early Childhood: A Longitudinal Investigation.
AUTHOR:
Huston, Aletha C.; And Others
PUBLICATION_DATE:
1987
ABSTRACT:
A 2-year longitudinal investigation of developing television viewing patterns involved 271 children who were followed from 3 to 5 or 5 to 7
years of age. Viewing was measured from diaries maintained by parents
for 1 week in the spring and 1 week in the fall for 2 years. Programs
were classified as (1) child informative or educational; (2) cartoons;
(3) other child shows; (4) adult informational, including news and sports;
(5) comedy; (6) drama; (7) action adventure; and (8) miscellaneous. Programs
were also coded for two dimensions reflecting cognitive processing
requirements: redundancy of characters and settings, and temporal integration
demands. Age changes occurred on four program types. Viewing the child
informative programs peaked at ages 3.5 and 4, then declined steadily.
Viewing cartoons and general audience comedies increased from age 3 to
5, and leveled off between 5 and 7. Viewing adult informational programs
decreased linearly with age. For child audience programs, the cognitive
processing requirements of the programs viewed increased with age.
Developmental changes were attributed to age changes in cognitive
development, media knowledge, independence from adults, and activities
away from home. Boys watched more than girls in four program categories:
cartoons, adult informational, action adventure, and miscellaneous.
(Author/RH)
MAJOR_DESCRIPTORS:
Age Differences; Behavior Change; Television Viewing; Young Children;
MINOR DESCRIPTORS:
Longitudinal Studies; Research Methodology; Sex Differences; Television Research;
PUBLICATION_TYPE:
143