Is 'SpongeBob Squarepants' bad for your children?
'Very popular fantastical cartoon about an animated sponge that lives under the sea' found to have negative effect on children's concentration
Is "SpongeBob Squarepants," a "very popular fantastical cartoon about an animated sponge that lives under the sea," as described by researchers, bad for your children? The fast-paced cartoon series has been known to grate on the nerves of parents, but now psychologists now say that the cartoon appears to dampen preschoolers brain power.
'Connecting fast-paced television viewing to deficits in executive function ... has profound impacts for children's cognitive and social development that need to be considered and reacted to,' researchers said about 'SpongeBob Squarepants.'
While television's negative effect on executive function over the long term has been established - in particular shows that are hyper-edited, extremely fast-paced and are loud -- less is known about its immediate effects.
In the study, Lillard and Peterson assigned 60 4-year-olds to three groups: one that watched nine minutes of "SpongeBob;" one that watched nine minutes of slower-paced programming from a PBS show "about a typical U.S. preschool-aged boy;" and a third group that was told to draw for nine minutes with markers and crayons.
After their viewing and drawing tasks were complete, the children were asked to perform four tests to assess executive function.
The kids who watched nine minutes of the frenetic high jinks of the "animated sponge" scored significantly worse than the other kids.
"Connecting fast-paced television viewing to deficits in executive function ... has profound impacts for children's cognitive and social development that need to be considered and reacted to," University of Washington pediatrics professor Dr. Dimitri A. Christakis wrote.
There are dissenting voices to the study. Nickelodeon, the network that airs "SpongeBob SquarePants," told CNN that "having 60 non-diverse kids, who are not part of the show's targeted demo, watch 9 minutes of programming is questionable methodology. It could not possibly provide the basis for any valid findings that parents could trust."
Nickelodeon also noted that "SpongeBob" is intended to be viewed by kids ages 6 to 11 -- and not by preschoolers.
It wasn't the first time the SpongeBob character has prompted controversy. The cartoon had previously been accused of promoting homosexuality, as the series was popular with the gay community due to "secret coding." As one gay fan declared about SpongeBob, "he's not very masculine for a male character. And he's soft."
Of course, many others think the very stereotyped effort to identify SpongeBob as gay is absurd.
© 2011, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.
- - -
Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.
Keywords: SpongeBob Squarepants, concentration skills, children, cartoon
Rate This Article
Leave a Comment
More TV News
- Mother of TV psychologists Dr. Joyce Brothers dies at 85
- The British are coming! New Head of NBC Division said to be Deborah Turness
- All four 'American Idol' judges get the ax: What now?
- Danish TV show where men critique women as they disrobe draws criticism
- Actor Allan Arbus dies at 95; played psychiatrist on 'MASH' TV show
- Does the viewer have the right to free TV?
- Jimmy Fallon, less than 40, to become 'Tonight Show' host
- Kurt Warner talks to Catholic Online about hit new reality show, 'The Moment'
- Verizon seeks to change cable TV game rules big time
- Fr. Paul Schenck: Finding Living Faith on Catechetical Sunday
- The Movie Yellow: Incest as 'Normal' and Cassavates's Slides Into the World of Woes
- The Chicago School Teachers Strike Reveals the Need For School Choice
- The Sexual Barbarians and the Dissolution of Culture
- The Happy Priest Challenges Us to Ask: Who is Jesus to Me?
- Michael Coren on Canadian Public Schools: Teachers, leave those kids alone
- We Cannot Ignore Our Consciences: Cardinal Dolan On Religious Liberty
- In the Face of Danger, Successor of Peter Travels to Lebanon as a Messenger of Peace
- Reflections on the Dignity and Vocation of Women: Who or What?