THE EFFECT OF TELEVISION ON PRESCHOOL CHILDREN'S SOCIAL BEHAVIOR

Abstract

Abstract : This study investigated the effect of two television programs on the social behavior of preschool children in Bahrain. Two variables were manipulated: cooperation and aggression. Two programs were edited for the purpose of this study. The first contained segments from Iftah Ya Simsim that portray prosocial behavior. The second program contained segments from Iftah Ya Simsim as well as other children's cartoons and puppet shows portraying negative social behavior. Sixty children attending two daycare centers in Bahrain participated in this study. Children were divided into two viewing groups: the first group viewed a program with prosocial behavior, and the second group viewed a program with negative social behavior. Children's behavior was observed and coded on a 3-level scale used before and after children viewed the assigned program. The results of Wilcoxon Signed Tests for Differences Between Independent Samples revealed a significant increase in mean rank from pretest to posttest on cooperative behavior for group one who viewed a program with prosocial behavior. The analysis also pointed to a significant increase in gain scores on aggressive behavior for group two who viewed the program with antisocial behavior. Six Mann-Whitney U analyses using the gain scores were used to measure the significance of the difference between the two groups on both cooperative and aggressive behavior; to measure the difference between males and females on cooperative and aggressive behavior; and to measure the age difference between five-year-olds and six-year-olds on both behaviors. Chi-square and Phi coefficient analyses were used to further test the relationships between gender and target behavior, and age and target behavior in the two groups The results of the data analysis showed a significant difference in cooperative behavior between children in group one who viewed a program with prosocial behavior, and children in group two who viewed a program with antisocial behavior. The results also showed a significant difference between the two groups on aggressive behavior. On the other hand, the analysis of the Mann-Whitney U and the Chi-square and Phi coefficient did not show a significant relationship between gender and target behavior, or age and target behavior.