Ordinary and extraordinary people: Children's understanding of television and real life models

✍ Scribed by David E. Fernie

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1981
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 652 KB
• Volume: 1981
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1520-3247
• DOI: 10.1002/cd.23219811305

✦ Synopsis

Television presents a wide range of characters who potentially serve as powerful role models for the young viewer. Children's cognitive conceptions as well as their a f f t i v e identifiations are examined in a developmental study regarding real people and television characters, including the superhero.

Ordinary and Extraordinary People: Children's Understanding of Television and Real Life Models

David E. Fernie D u r i n g the elementary school years, children encounter n u m e r o u s adults in their ventures beyond the home. While the importance a n d influence of these real life models is undisputed, many of the adults witnessed by children come from the prime-time television programs they come t o prefer and frequently view. Consider the following hypothetical, yet plausible scene: J i m m y (age tj), costumed in cape and gloves, leaps to the television dial a t 7:00, declaring, " T i m e for Superman!" Mark (age 12) disagrees: "No! You watched it last night, so tonight I'm watching H e n r y Wink-