Television and the Autistic Child: Effects of Aggressive Programming
Television and the Autistic Child:
Effects of Aggressive Programming
Nicolette Stoltman
University of Phoenix
Com 220
With few exceptions, the information on the effect of television on children has focused on normal (i.e., nonhandicapped) populations. The intention of this essay is to explore the impact of the medium of television on Autistic children because their use of and reaction to television may differ from that of the larger population. This essay will provide an overview of the research that has examined television and the Autistic child (the definition of “Autistic” varies along a spectrum of included disorders. Common markers for an Autistic disorder are oppositional behavior, over activity, aggressivity and emotional and cognitive ability). Current research assumes that in order for television content to affect a viewer, the viewer must be exposed to content, accept the message and adopt behaviors or attitudes portrayed and comprehend the content in some degree.
A literature review located only two recent studies that examined the viewing habits of Autistic children. Surveys (Donohue, 1998; Fracchis et al., 2001) show that Autistic children watch more aggressive programs and prefer aggressive over nonaggressive television characters. Viewing habits comparisons reveled that Autistic children watched more television than the normal child. Children with Autism are known withdraw to television. Autistic children watched more physically violent programs and cartoons and named those programs as their favorite than did the normals. Both programming choices contain high-levels of aggressive behavior many Autistic children find violent or aggressive content visually stimulating. Furthermore, Autistic children viewed cartoons more hours. Cartoons offer the Autistic child a skewed view of the real world. Some of these children use cartoon viewing as a coping skill, as some are unable to handle real problems and work out issues. The
Effects of Aggressive Programming
Nicolette Stoltman
University of Phoenix
Com 220
With few exceptions, the information on the effect of television on children has focused on normal (i.e., nonhandicapped) populations. The intention of this essay is to explore the impact of the medium of television on Autistic children because their use of and reaction to television may differ from that of the larger population. This essay will provide an overview of the research that has examined television and the Autistic child (the definition of “Autistic” varies along a spectrum of included disorders. Common markers for an Autistic disorder are oppositional behavior, over activity, aggressivity and emotional and cognitive ability). Current research assumes that in order for television content to affect a viewer, the viewer must be exposed to content, accept the message and adopt behaviors or attitudes portrayed and comprehend the content in some degree.
A literature review located only two recent studies that examined the viewing habits of Autistic children. Surveys (Donohue, 1998; Fracchis et al., 2001) show that Autistic children watch more aggressive programs and prefer aggressive over nonaggressive television characters. Viewing habits comparisons reveled that Autistic children watched more television than the normal child. Children with Autism are known withdraw to television. Autistic children watched more physically violent programs and cartoons and named those programs as their favorite than did the normals. Both programming choices contain high-levels of aggressive behavior many Autistic children find violent or aggressive content visually stimulating. Furthermore, Autistic children viewed cartoons more hours. Cartoons offer the Autistic child a skewed view of the real world. Some of these children use cartoon viewing as a coping skill, as some are unable to handle real problems and work out issues. The
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