The impact of pictorial realism in educational science television on U.S. children's learning and transfer of biological facts. Issue 4 (2nd October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bonus, James Alex
• Is Part Of: Journal of children and media. Volume 13:Issue 4(2019)
• Page Start: 433
• Page End: 451
• Publication Date: 2019-10-02
• Subjects: Anthropomorphism -- children -- pictorial realism -- science television -- transfer; Mass media and children -- Periodicals; Mass media -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Mass media and youth -- Periodicals; 302.23083
• DOI: 10.1080/17482798.2019.1646295
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1748-2798

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Although children's science television shows aim to educate young audiences, a recent content analysis found that these shows are mostly animated and often depict science information anthropomorphically. An experiment examined the implications of these depictions for children's learning and transfer of scientific information. Preschoolers viewed two videos about insect communication from a popular children's television show that contained either realistic or anthropomorphic visuals of insects. Results indicated that initial learning from the show did not differ between conditions. However, one week later, children who viewed the show with realistic visuals were more likely to transfer what they learned to real insects, whereas children who viewed the show with anthropomorphic visuals were more likely to attribute humanlike characteristics to real insects. Contrary to predictions, these effects were not mediated by children's attention to the show or their reality judgments of the factual content.