Explores the conditions existing within constant television households--homes in which television is turned on for most of the day, whether or not anyone is watching. (PD)

Documents the range and extent of family life configurations in prime-time television over a six-year period (1979-1985). Reveals that prime-time network television tends to reinforce conservative to moderate models of family life, while also presenting a diversity of nonstandard interpretations of family which are framed in the nonthreatening…

An observational study of families watching television was conducted in six households, using a video camera. Results show that family members were absent for substantial proportions of the time the television set was in operation, and when present, for most of the time did not pay full attention. Thirteen tables depict information. (AEF)

Finds that the private dialog between parents and children closely approximated the public dialog about TV family portrayals by focusing on TV family realism, structure, and relationship models. Shows that a social learning model was implicit in participants' arguments, and that most participants argued that family portrayals affect expectations…

Reviews research into children's use of television and discusses two studies, one from the United States and one from West Germany, that focus on media in families. A study currently being completed is also described that examines the effect of cable television on children's and adolescents' media use in Austria. (LRW)

Investigated television's role in disseminating the myth of the "happy poor," a device central in limiting social mobility to preserve the status quo. Found that television supports the myth in that working-class television families generally enjoy stronger interpersonal harmony, more agreeable personalities, greater felicity, and better problem…

Reviews effects of television on various aspects of children's behavior, including learning through passive viewing, lowered attention span, school achievement and reading, aggression, sex role stereotyping, and prosocial behaviors. Concluding sections focus on effects of television on family life and point out ways parents and teachers can better…

Presents a variety of theoretical articles and research about television and the family. The nine articles of this special issue deal with family interaction and conversations about television, children's fright reactions, and television characters as significant others. Theoretical approaches include systems theory, frame analysis theory, and…

Results indicate that children who frequently watch family television shows appear to believe that families in real life show the same support and concern for each other and that parents who discuss the reality and utility of such programs can influence the amount and kind of learning their children receive from television. (PD)

Discusses parent-child television coviewing and describes the results of a study that examined coviewing of television series featuring families via questionnaire responses from second, sixth, and tenth graders and their parents. The paper and pencil instruments that were administered are described, and dependent and independent variables are…

Examines effects of the structure and content of television on children's cognitive, motor, and affective development, and discusses relationships between family life style and television viewing. Suggests that current television programs can have harmful effects on children, and presents proposals for interventions to expose children to more…

Examines results of surveys of secondary school students in Argentina, Taiwan, South Korea, China, and the United States regarding television use. Issues addressed include broadcasting schedules, amount of viewing, social and family contexts of viewing, relationships with parents, and parental attitudes. Cross-cultural patterns and implications…