What Do Children Learn About Prosocial Behavior from the Media?

Abstract The paper discusses the importance of prosocial behavior from the media and its effects on children. The paper reviews several research studies on prosocial and media on children. The paper also offers implications and limitations dealings with prosocial behavior and media on children. What Do Children Learn About Prosocial Behavior from the Media? In 1970, Lesser asserted that children spend more of their time watching television than sleeping. Over the years there has been an increasing awareness in the importance of children's television. Rushton (1982) defined prosocial behavior as, "that which is socially desirable and in which some way benefits another person, or society at large" (p.2). Harris (1999) argued that media has an enormous amount of potential for producing prosocial behavior. Still and all, Rushton cited over 30 studies that have illustrated a direct relationship between television programs and children's prosocial behavior. Rushton argued that prosocial behavior is shown frequently on television and it, "is what will be learned by viewers as appropriate, normative behavior" (p.255). Therefore, because television has such a huge potential on influencing children and children watch large amounts of television, research in this domain provides useful and vital information for fostering and educating young influential minds. In his book, Harris (1999) mentioned that many studies concerning children and prosocial behavior looked at Sesame Street. Harris summarized a few studies indicating that the show increases cultural awareness. Further, Harris cited studies that have illustrated ho