8115115 Ja m e s , N avtta E l o is e C u m m in g s TELEVISION GAMES CHILDREN PLAY: CHILDREN’S COMMUNICATIVE USES OF TELEVISION The Ohio Stale University Ph.D. 1981 University Microfilms International 300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106 Copyright 1981 by James, Navita Eloise Cummings All Rights Reserved TELEVISION GAMES CHILDREN PLAY: CHILDREN'S COMMUNICATIVE USES OF TELEVISION DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fu lfillm ent of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Navita Cummings James, B.A., M.A. * * * * * The Ohio State University 1981 Reading Committee: Approved By Joseph M. Foley Thomas A. McCain Victor D. Wall Adviser Department of Communication dedicated to Tammy (age four) and Teddy (age fiv e ) who taught me th e ir worlds of tel evision were very d iffe re n t from my world of television ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am deeply indebted to the children of the day care center, the day care center staff, and the children's parents for their participation in this research. Sage Publications, Inc0, is to be thanked fo r th e ir permission to quote from Children in Front of the Small Screen by Grant Noble. I would like to acknowledge my adviser for his continued interest and enthusiasm for this project and fo r his continued demand for excellence. He has provided for me and others an example of what it truly means to be a "scholar." My family deserves special thanks fo r the continuous fa ith and support they have given me. To those who helped me get through the last stages of this project—my parents, Cynthia, Carol, Faye, Herndon, and Emma Jean— I am forever g ra te fu l. I thank my husband Julius for the confidence he had in my ability to complete this project as well as for his help. Finally, I thank my daughter Erika, who during her f ir s t year in this world shared her mommy with this research. VITA February 16, 1952................. Born - Columbus, Ohio 1973 ......................................... B.A., The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1973-1977 ................................. Teaching Assistant, The Ohio State University 1975 ......................................... M.A., Communication, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. Thesis T itle : "Predicting Black Viewer Preferences in Black-oriented Television Programs" 1977-1981 ................................. Adjunct Instructor, Department of Human Communication, Rutgers University RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS "Predicting Black Viewer Preferences in Black-oriented Television Programs" if with T. McCain). Paper presented at the International Communication Association Convention, Portland, Oregon, April 1976. "Nonverbal Communication and the Small Group." In V. D. Wall, Jr. (E d .), Small Group Communication: Selected Readings. Columbus, Ohio: Collegiate Printing Company, 1976. "WOSU-TV: Public Television Viewership in Columbus, Ohio" (with T. McCain). Research Report fo r Corporation for Public Broadcasting (Grant No. 8141), September 1976. "Methods for. Identifying Black Community Leaders for Ascertainment" (with T. McCain & J. Hawkins). Paper presented at the National Association of Educational Broadcasters Convention, Chicago, October 1976. "Amos ' n* Andy V Society." Paper presented at the Broadcasting Education Association Convention, Washington, D.C., 1977. "In terracial Communication: A Rules Perspective." Paper accepted for presentation at the International Communication Association Con­ vention, B erlin, Germany, June 1977. iv FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Mass Comnunication Minor Field: Interpersonal Communication and Communication Theory Studies in Mass Communication Theory and Research. Professor Thomas A. McCain Studies in Mass Communication Law, Public Policy, and Technology. Professor Joseph M. Foley Studies in Communication Theory, Interpersonal Comnunication, Ethnomethodology. Professors Victor D. Wall and Leonard C. Hawes GRANTS "Predicting Black Viewer Preferences in Black-oriented Television Programs." Grant from the National Association of Broadcasters, 1974, $500.00 HONORS AND AWARDS Women's Honoraries, The Ohio State University, 1971-1973 Alpha Lambda Delta 1971 Chimes 1972 Mirrors 1971 Mortar Board 1973 Beanie Drake Leadership Award, The Ohio State University, 1971 The Outstanding Senior Award, The Ohio State University, 1973 The National Student Register, 1973 Walter B„ Emery Scholarship Award, Department of Communication, The Ohio State University, 1974 Paul Robeson Faculty Teaching Award, Rutgers University, 1978-1979 v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page DEDICATION............................................................. i i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.................................................................................................. i i i VITA ....................................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES......................................................................... ix LIST OF FIGURES.................................................................................................. x INTRODUCTION............................................................................................. 1 Chapter I. TELEVISION IN THE LIVES OF OUR CHILDREN: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE AND STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM AND QUESTIONS .................................................................. 4 Consumption and Preferences in Television Viewing. 5 Communicative and Social Uses of Television Viewing. 14 The Theoretical and Methodological Approach .............. 30 Statement of Research Problem and Research Questions. .................................... „ . 32 I I . THE METHOD.................................................................................. 37 Overview of Factors Affecting Decision-Making. 38 Selection of the Day Care Center.................................. 38 Selection of Subjects ......................................................... .... 40 Selection of Procedures for Data C ollection .............. 43 Procedures fo r Data A n a ly s is.................... 52 I I I . RESULTS I: THE SOCIAL ACTORS, THE SOCIAL SETTING, THE CHRONOLOGY OF DAILY ACTIVITIES, AND THE RESEARCHER'S EXPERIENCES AND SOCIALIZATION. ....... 60 The Social Actors ................................................................... 60 The Social Setting of the Center .................................. 72 A Chronology of Daily A c tiv itie s at the Center during the Summer. ......................................... 74 The Researcher: Data-Collection Experiences and Socialization into the Social Setting ................. 76 vi Page IV. RESULTS I I : CHILDREN AND TELEVISION CONSUMPTION, PREFERENCES, CHILD VS. PARENT REPORTS, AND PERCEIVED REALITY................................................................................................... 98 The Children and Their Television Consumption .... 99 Children's Television Program and Character Preferences .............................................................................. 101 Children and Parent Reports: A Comparison..................... 105 The Children's Perceptions about Television ................. I l l V. RESULTS I I I . TELEVISION-BASED PLAY AND TALK IN THE VIEWING CONTEXT...................................................................... 131 Television-Based Play and Talk in the Viewing Context ...................................................................... 132 The Game of Watching Television: A Description . 157 The Game of Watching Television: An Analysis .... 163 VI. RESULTS IV: TELEVISION-BASED PLAY AND TALK IN THE NON-VIEWING CONTEXT.............................................................. 180 Television-Based T a lk .............................................................. 181 Television-Based Games: A Description ................. 185 Television-Based Games: An Analysis...................... 201 V II. DISCUSSION, IMPLICATIONS, LIMITATIONS, RETROSPECT, AND CONCLUSION........................................ 230 Discussion ...................................................................................... 230 Implications and Recommendations ......................................... 264 Limitations.................................................................................. 276 Retrospect ..................................... •................................................ 278 Conclusion ...................................................................................... 279 BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................................. 280 APPENDIXES A. Information Packet Provided to Day Care Centers ..... 291 B. Children's Interview Questions ....................................................... 301 C. Parent Interview Questions ............................................................... 309 D. Teacher Interview Questions ........................................................... 315 E. Sample Interview and Observation Data Form on TV-Based Games...................................................................................... 319 v i i APPENDIXES Page F. Children's Consumption Data ............................................................ 321 G. Children's Preferences Data ............................................................ 323 v iii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Demographic Information on the Primary Subjects .... 63 2. Children's Favorite Programs by Program T itle s.................. 324 3. Number of Favorite Television Programs by Program