“The Value of Reanalysis: TV Viewing and Attention Problems.” E. Michael Foster and Stephanie Watkins. Child Development, 81(1), 368–375. January/February 2010.
In the study, Foster and Watkins employ the reanalysis procedure in order to explore the developmental issue of interrelation between watching television and attention disorders in children (2010). To conduct their research, the authors choose the tool of semiparametric regression replacing the procedure of linear assessment that has led to limited results of a previous study (Foster and Watkins, 2010).
In addition, Foster and Watkins introduce two additional variables in their investigation, a measure of mother’s achievement and a measure of the family’s income (2010). The study has been conducted among a sample of 2692 children between ages 1 and 7, equally divided by gender and representing a varied racial composition (Foster and Watkins, 2010). The results of the study have shown that the danger of attention disorders becomes significant only for those children who watch television over 7 hours per day.
Furthermore, such relation between television watching and attention problems becomes insignificant when two additional factors are introduced into the study. The information from the article raises the topical psychological issue of the influence exerted by mass media products on child development.
References
Foster, E. M., & Watkins, S. (2010). The value of reanalysis: TV viewing and attention problems. Child Development, 81(1), 368–375.