When parents switch channels from violent television shows to ones that promote peaceful conflict resolution, their young children's behavior improves. Those are the findings of a study conducted by the Seattle's Children's Research Institute and reported this week by Donna Gordon Blankinship of the Associated Press. You can see the article here.
The study included 565 Seattle-area parents with three to five year-old children and lasted for a year. Half the families were coached to watch shows like "Sesame Street" and "Dora the Explorer" and avoid programs like "Power Rangers." The other half got coaching on healthier eating. Parent questionnaires revealed behavioral improvements in both groups after six months, but more for those who had altered their television viewing habits. The greatest improvements were documented for boys from low-income families.
After one year, there was little perceptible difference between the two groups. The parents were not told the purpose of the study, but "the authors concede they probably figured it out and that might have affected the results." With the incidence of crime and violence a major current focus in current American public affairs, more such research would be timely and welcome indeed.
We have all heard plenty of speculation and hypotheses about our high levels of societal violence compared to the rest of the world. We know there are strong correlations to income levels and abusive patterns in the home. It's certainly well worth our while to further such research and develop a lot more hard data on other factors that may be contributing. Lives are at stake.
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