Abstract
Recent research has suggested that particular content of television programmes, such as watching fantastical scenes, can have negative consequences on cognitive functions in young children. We examined the effects of watching fantastical programmes on executive functions measured at both pre and post television viewing. Eighty 5-6-year-old children participated and were randomised into either fantastical or non-fantastical conditions. They completed inhibition, working memory, cognitive flexibility and planning tasks both before and after watching either the brief fantastical or non-fantastical television clip. While there were no differences between the groups at pre-test on any of the cognitive measures, children in the fantastical condition were poorer on inhibition, working memory and cognitive flexibility tasks at the post-test session. Watching fantastical television content, even briefly, seems to disrupt cognitive function performance in young children across a broad range of aspects of executive function.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Number of pages | 21 |
Journal | British Journal of Developmental Psychology |
Early online date | 24 Dec 2019 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 24 Dec 2019 |
Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)
- executive functions
- fantastical
- television
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'Immediate impact of fantastical television content on children’s executive functions'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Profiles
-
Sinead Rhodes
- Deanery of Clinical Sciences - Senior Clinical/Non-Clinical Research Fellow
- Edinburgh Neuroscience
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences
- Centre for Reproductive Health
Person: Academic: Research Active