Suggests that a television program's benefits to three and four year olds can be significantly increased by the presence of an adult to bridge the gap between actual television performance and limited attention spans. (MH)

Reviews conclusions from research papers prepared for the National Institute of Mental Health Report, Television and Behavior (referred to as the Update). The two-volume Update summarizes research findings of the past 10 years dealing with the effects of television viewing on its audience, particularly children. (JJD)

This paper compares the effects of television viewing to the effects of imaginative play on children's cognitive development. The major developmental tasks which confront the growing child are presented and the significance of imaginative play as a critical feature of the child's cognitive and affective development is discussed. The cognitive…

This longitudinal study provides some indication that heavy television viewing is significantly associated with elementary schoolchildrens' later aggressive behavior, restlessness, and belief in a "mean and scary world." (PD)