Abstract
This article describes a research program in which children's fright reactions to television and films are studied from a cognitive developmental perspective. Based on a series of experiments and surveys, generalizations are made regarding the types of mass media stimuli and events that frighten children at different ages. Preschool children are more responsive than older children and adults to salient visual images; that is, something that looks frightening will be more likely to frighten young children than something with a more benign exterior that is actually harmful. Younger children are also more likely than their older counterparts to respond with fear to blatantly fantastic happenings, and less likely to respond to threats communicated in a more abstract manner. The potential for long-term effects is discussed and some findings relevant to this issue are presented. Finally, research is presented which supports developmental differences in the effectiveness of strategies for preventing or reducing media-induced fright reactions. In general, noncognitive, automatic strategies are more effective for preschool children, whereas older elementary school children benefit more from strategies with a cognitive component.
Published Version
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