ABSTRACT
Ever since media started to play a role in children’s lives, they have been the subject of heated debates about their positive and negative effects. This first chapter gives a historical overview of the prevailing perspectives on children and the media in the past two centuries. It is comprised of three sections. The first section outlines the change in ideas about childhood from the 18th century to the present. As will become clear, not only have the ideas about media aimed at children changed, but also the views on childhood itself have undergone great shifts that continue even to the present day. The second section reviews the development of empirical research into children and the media. This research, which initially started out of concern for any possible harmful effects of media, has seen a rapid development, particularly since the 1970s. This is in part due to the rise of cognitive psychology, the developing paradigm of the active child, and the increased interest in children on the part of critical researchers. The third and final section gives a preview of the following five chapters of this book.
