The effects of fantastical television content on Chinese preschoolers' executive function.

Abstract

Literature has indicated the mixed impact of television content on the executive function (EF) of preschoolers. This study investigated the short-term impact of TV fantastical events on children's EF performance and whether these impacts were different between boys and girls. This study included 143 preschoolers (Mage = 5.88 years, SDage = 0.32 years) and their parents. Participating children were randomly assigned to three groups to watch cartoons of high-fantasy, mid-fantasy, and low-fantasy, and then requested to perform on a series of EF tasks. The results revealed the nonlinear pattern for the effects of fantasy on inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility. Specifically, children in the mid-fantasy group did worst on inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility and no significant group differences were found in working memory. However, no conclusive evidence existed to prove the moderating role of gender on the relationship between fantastical events and EF. Finally, the implications of the findings and future directions are discussed.