Charlton et al (2000) playground behaviour

Cards (5)

  • Aims of Charlton et at (2000)
    • Investigate the impact of television on the social behaviour of young children.
  • Sample of Charlton et at (2000)

    Total sample - aprox 160
    • A random sample of school children aged between 3-8
  • Results of Charlton et al (2000)
    • 5 declines in prosocial behaviour of both boys and girls in single gender & mixed pairs/groups
    • 2 increases in prosocial behaviour of boys playing alone.
    • No change in antisocial behaviour observed in children's playgrounds.
    • boys had a tendency to display more antisocial acts than girls.
    • Both boys and girls displayed twice a much prosocial behaviour compared to antisocial.
  • Conclusions of Charlton et al (2000)
    • Television had little influence on the behaviour of the children studied.
    • Close-kit nature of the community & high levels of adult surveillance over the children may explain - environmental conditions
  • Strengths and weaknesses of Charlton et al (2000)

    + The same primary schools were used in both conditions - minimised differences.
    + Natural experiment, children were unaware - natural behaviour.
    - Findings may be limited to this community.
    - programmes watched on the island were not the same as on mainland tv, and could have contained less violence.