"A worthwhile effort." --The Hindustan Times "Children and Television provides a detailed description of the patterns of representation of different groups on children's television programs (including commercial broadcast, public broadcast, and cable) and their potential consequences for the development of people's worldviews. . . . Children and Television is a readable and interesting introduction to research on children and television by scholars in a variety of social science disciplines as well as media professions." Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media "There is much in this collection of 22 essays which will be of interest to anyone concerned with understanding children's interaction with television." --Media Development "The issues addressed in Children and Television, are of critical importance to us at PBS. Congratulations on completing this thoughtful work. We are forwarding copies to those public television programs that on occasion review books or address these topics in their programming. . . . Works like Children and Television provide useful food for thought for those of us who care about children, whether as parents, citizens, educators or media professionals." --Jennifer Lawson, Executive Vice President, National Programming and Promotion Services, PBS "A thought provoking publication." --Educational Media International "This is an impressive and wide-ranging collection, especially given current policy discussions about enforcement of the Children's Television Act." --Communication Booknotes Today, children grow up in a media-driven society. While children of every generation face new demands and difficulties, the media explosion represents special challenges because television now plays a role in the child's socialization process. Set within a multicultural context, Gordon L. Berry and Joy Keiko Asamen explore how television influences our children. Children and Television identifies the social and cultural impact of television on the psychosocial development of children who are growing up in an ever-changing, multicultural world. A thought-provoking and challenging book, it analyzes major media organizations and projects policies, practices, and research directions for the future. Contributors discuss various forms of television and its effect on attention, comprehension, and behavior; television's effects on imaginative and creative capabilities of children; and the medium's influence on the socialization of youth. They also cover the cultural content of Saturday morning television; the portrayal of major ethnic and racial minority populations in the United States and the effects these portrayals have on children's attitudes toward these populations; and the portrayal of women, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.

"I suspect that this Handbook may become a 'definitive' text as we seek to include the perspectives of all types of people, to reach beyond the boundaries that have separated people of one culture from those of another, and to socialize our youth to be more multiculturally sensitive." -Carolyn Stroman, Howard University The SAGE Handbook of Child Development explores the multicultural development of children through the varied and complex interplay of traditional agents of socialization as well as contemporary media influences, examining how socialization practices and media content construct and teach us about diverse cultures. Editors Joy K. Asamen, Mesha L. Ellis, and Gordon L. Berry, along with chapter authors from a wide variety of disciplines, highlight how to analyze, compare, and contrast alternative perspectives of children of different cultures, domestically and globally, with the major principles and theories of child development in cognitive, socioemotional, and/or social/contextual domains. This volume will help readers evaluate ethnicity, socioeconomic, and gender issues in child development and see how these issues influence individual development as well as social policy. Key Features Provides comprehensive coverage: This handbook covers theory, research, and best practices for traditional agents of socialization such as family and home, socio-political and religious communities, and schools and peers, as well as the traditional (e.g., print and television) and newer media forms (e.g., the Internet and video games). Presents multiple perspectives: A well-known and impressive list of contributors from numerous disciplines represent various theoretical orientations and offer a rich variety of viewpoints regarding research and methodological assumptions. Offers versatile utility: This volume will be a valuable resource for program development, research and evaluation, or hands-on community-based projects. In addition, the practical applications will be of interest to broadcasters, public policy and advocacy groups, teachers, and other childcare professionals.

Research Paradigms, Television, Social Behavior is a unique book that is designed to provide an understanding of television research from both the quantitative and qualitative perspectives. The volume provides a systematic analysis of the various research paradigms used in the study of television, and focuses on the integration of quantitative and qualitative methodologies as a means for understanding the complexities associated with this medium. The book is useful for both undergraduate and graduate students because it presents information in a straightforward and engaging style, as well as provides concrete step-by-step examples of how to conduct major research and evaluation projects involving this medium. The book is also important for seasoned scholars and researchers, as well as professionals in the media industry.

Research Paradigms, Television, Social Behavior is a unique book that is designed to provide an understanding of television research from both the quantitative and qualitative perspectives. The volume provides a systematic analysis of the various research paradigms used in the study of television, and focuses on the integration of quantitative and qualitative methodologies as a means for understanding the complexities associated with this medium. The book is useful for both undergraduate and graduate students because it presents information in a straightforward and engaging style, as well as provides concrete step-by-step examples of how to conduct major research and evaluation projects involving this medium. The book is also important for seasoned scholars and researchers, as well as professionals in the media industry.