Citation

Sparks GG. Child Stud. J. 1986; 16(1): 55-66.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1986, State University of New York at Buffalo)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Recent research conducted by Canto and Sparks (1984) found that parents of children at different levels of cognitive development reported different kinds of programs and movies as frightening to their children. In an effort to investigate the responses of children rather than adults, 99 children ranging in age from 52 months to 136 months were interviewed about the programs that frightened them. Consistent with the predictions and results of the parent survey, younger children (5 through 7 years) tended to report fright from programs depicting "impossible" content, content featuring grotesque and ugly characters, and content portraying transformations of character. In contrast, older children (8 through 11 years) reported fright from programs depicting "possible" events and programs containing violent content. Alternative explanations for the results based upon age differences in exposure to certain program types, and to desensitization with age were not supported by data collected from the children's parents. The best explanation for the results seems to be that children at different ages differ cognitively in fundamental ways which affect their perceptions of program content and, consequently, what they find to be frightening. (Abstract Adapted from Source: Child Study Journal, 1986. Copyright © 1986 by Child Study Journal)

Child Development
Youth Development
Exposure to Violence
Child Fear
Cognitive Development
Fear Causes
Middle Childhood
Late Childhood
Media Violence Effects
Film Violence
Television Violence
09-04