Christmas WS's!
Most of us have seen news about the negative effect long-term television exposure has on our kids’ thinking capabilities. Now it seems that there is also an immediate effect on their executive function – when they watch certain popular shows.
The chosen culprit for this study was Sponge Bob Square Pants, but I’m sure the researchers could have picked any fast-paced cartoon. Conducted by the University of Virginia’s psychology department, researcher divided 60 four-year-olds into three groups:
- A first group that watched Sponge Bob Square Pants for nine minutes
- A second group that watched a slower-paced PBS children’s show
- A third group that was asked to draw for nine minutes
The first group was found to have immediate difficulties with their executive function – skills that include attention, working memory, problem solving and delay of gratification – all skills associated with success in school. This group of kids scored significantly worse than the kids in the other two groups.
