Children's judgments of televised events: the real versus pretend distinction

Previous research suggests that children's understanding that television is fictional may be dependent on various factors inherent in televised events. 36 children, 4- to 6-yr.-old, were asked to judge the reality of specific televised events shown via videotape. The events varied in aggressiveness, format, and type of character shown. While age and sex differences were absent, children's judgments were dependent on the format of the televised events (cartoon versus noncartoon) rather than other variables. Implications for research on children's learning of televised aggression and prosocial behaviors are discussed.