This study examined television viewing habits and preferences of impulsive and reflective third grade and seventh grade children. Amount of television desired and reported as viewed were compared at each grade level. Impulsivity was also compared with preference for and reported exposure to each of five most commonly viewed television program types, which were situation comedy, movie, cartoon, action drama, and game show. The initial sample consisted of 46 seventh graders and 39 third graders from one middle school and two elementary schools in Pima County, Arizona. Impulsivity was measured using the Matching Familiar Figures test. Ten impulsive and ten reflective subjects were identified at each grade level. One subject furnished uninterpretable data and was dropped from the study. Subjects were asked to use copies of TV Guide magazine as viewing diaries during two one-week periods. Subjects were asked to mark in blue all programs they wished to view, and in red all programs viewed. Background data were secured from school records, and subjects completed questionnaire items regarding family size and structure, viewing circumstances, and attitudes toward television. Impulsive and reflective children were compared in overall amount of television programming selected and reportedly viewed. Differences were small, with impulsive children selecting and viewing less than reflective children at the third grade level and more than reflective children at the seventh grade level. Correlation coefficients were calculated between impulsivity and the selection and viewing of each of five popular program types. Most correlations were small. Correlations in the range of 0.35 to 0.60, however, did occur in certain cases. Selection and viewing of game shows by seventh graders showed a positive correlation with impulsivity, while selection and viewing of cartoons by third graders showed a negative correlation. A second set of correlation coefficients was calculated based on the response latency component of impulsivity. This second set reflected essentially the same relationships indicated by the first. Data from school records and questionnaire items did not enhance the interpretation of relationships between impulsivity and television use.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/187921 |
| Date | January 1984 |
| Creators | THOMSEN, MICHAEL ALAN RIGEL. |
| Publisher | The University of Arizona. |
| Source Sets | University of Arizona |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text, Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. |
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