Earlier versions of the four papers presented in this collection formed a symposium, "Children's Interactions with Television," at the 1982 International Congress of Applied Psychology in Edinburgh. In the first paper, "Children's Comprehension of Television Programs," Peter Rendell and Mary Nixon describe a study which…

This study examined both general and specific parent-child television viewing experiences together with any interactions related to television viewing whether the child has watched television with a parent or alone. A total of 384 telephone interviews of parents (57% female, 43% male) with children at home between the ages of 6 and 18 were…

This report discusses research related to the educational potential of 3-2-1 CONTACT, a PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) series on science and technology, which was produced by the Children's Television Workshop for a primary target audience of 8- to 12-year-olds in both home and school settings. Conducted over a 6-year period (1977-83), this…

The purpose of this study was to investigate, in a broad sense, children's understanding of various types of people in two social domains: television and real life. Specifically, the study was designed to solicit information about (1) the physical and psychological abilities and vulnerabilities children would attribute to television characters and…

In this collection of papers, 10 social researchers and mental health specialists review and assess the state of the art in relevant areas of their expertise to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive account of the role of television as a teacher. An overview of issues, findings, and recommendations by Elizabeth J. Roberts is followed by nine…

Recognizing the need for a multifarious approach to television, this paper provides the reader with the following multidimensional approaches to television criticism: rhetorical, dramatic, literary, cinematic, content analysis, myth, linguistics, semiotics, phenomenalism, phenomenology, interpersonal communication, public relations, image,…

This report summarizes two case studies conducted in 1979-1980 in a combined fifth-sixth grade special class for talented and gifted pupils in a large Oregon school district and a sixth grade self-contained classroom in a small school district, both of which were using ThinkAbout, a series of 60 15-minute instructional television programs designed…

This report describes the formative evaluation of the first three rough-cut instructional television programs for "On the Level," a series of 12 lessons dealing with personal and social growth for secondary school students. Results discussed are based on viewing three programs in a total of 36 classrooms at sites in Maryland, Tennessee,…

This review examines studies which deal with family interaction and home situational factors that lead up to and mediate the intrepretation and use of what is viewed on television. It surveys empirical studies in two domains: the effects of parents and siblings on program selection and amount of viewing time; and mediation of what is learned and…

Much of the television American children watch is violent in content. The evidence indicating that this programing increases children's aggressive behavior is not clear-cut, and some studies have shown a decrease in children's aggressive behavior. A study was conducted to test a more developmental perspective on the effects of violent television:…

A questionnaire was administered to 94 fifth grade students to measure their use of television and the relationship of this use to their development and maintenance of stereotypes about occupations and personality attributes. It was hypothesized that the more television children viewed, the more likely they would be to develop stereotyped…

Television's role within the familial setting is the subject of a research program being conducted at the Universities of Hartford, Texas, and Utah, proceeding on the premise that television functions within a variety of environmental influences, all of which act in varying combinations to produce a wide range of effects within viewers. The…

An estimated 100,000 to 200,000 hours of television programing per year are exported by the United States and the effects of this programing on other cultures, particularly those in developing nations, have generated concern. The appeal of this programing can be explained by its intended universality: it is produced within a multiethnic culture,…

Findings of television research conducted in Montreal and Windsor, Canada, in February-May 1978, that studied numerous aspects of the parent-adolescent-television relationship are summarized in this report. Particular emphasis is given to differences between ethnic and English families, differences in the ways adolescent boys and girls perceive…

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION FOR SPEECH IMPROVEMENT AT THE THIRD-GRADE LEVEL WAS INVESTIGATED. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY WERE TO TEST (1) THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TELEVISED INSTRUCTION ON INSERVICE TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM TEACHERS AND (2) THE AMOUNT OF SPEECH IMPROVEMENT WITH THIRD-GRADE CHILDREN VIEWING 52…