ABSTRACT
In the early 1960s, the most widely accepted summary evaluation of research concerning television's impact on children was provided by Schramm et al. (1961), and read: "For some children, under some conditions, some television is harmful. For other children under the same conditions, or for some children under other conditions, it may be beneficial" (p. 1). Since this statement was first issued, well over 3,000 scientific research articles and governmental reports have been published examining media effects (see Liebert & Sprafkin, 1988), with special emphasis on the impact of television on young children. The literature continues to be far more definitive regarding how and why media effects occur, and the consideration of differences among children and the unique conditions under which viewing occurs continue to be viable intervening variables.
