Children’s Exposure to Media

Abstract

Exposure to various types of narrative media can affect the creation of theory-of-mind among children. Since interaction with fictional narratives provides one with social world knowledge, and likely draws on theory-of-mind processes during learning, exposure to storybooks, movies, and television can affect the creation of theory-of-mind. We analyzed the inferred sensitivity of 4-6 year-olds to children's literature, TV, and video, using an empirical metric that monitors socially acceptable responses.Theory-of-mind was tested using a battery of five assignments. Inferred exposure to children's storybooks projected theory-of-mind abilities for age, gender, language, and parental income. Theory-of-mind growth was also expected by inferred exposure to children's movies, but inferred exposure to children's television did not.