An Investigation of the Impact of Animated Cartoons on Children in Nairobi By Mary Claire Akinyi Kidenda B50/7630/2006 A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of Master of Arts in Design School of the Arts and Design, University of Nairobi May 2010 Ubiaty Declaration I declare that this thesis entitled "Ah tmiti&dHtH t)H the ImpHtt #/ Animated CdfHtHi t)H Children in Nteirtihi ” is my own work and to the best of my knowledge has not been presented to any other university for a degree or any other certificate Candidate: Mary Clare Akinyi Kidenda School of the Arts and Design, University of Nairobi Supervisor: Dr. J.P Odoch Pido School of the Arts and Design, University of Nairobi Signature: Date: Table of Contents Declaration.................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Table of Contents.......................................................................................................................................................................ii List of Illustrations.................................................................................................................................................................... iv List of Figures.............................................................................................................................................................................vi List of Tables.............................................................................................................................................................................vii Appendices................................................................................................................................................................................viii Abbreviations..............................................................................................................................................................................ix Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................................................................... x Abstract....................................................................................................................................................................................... xi Chapter One: Introduction.......................................................................................................................................................1 1.1 Overview........................................................................................................................................................................1 1.2 Background of the Study............................................................................................................................................1 1.3 The Situation of Animated Cartoons in Kenya...................................................................................................5 1.4. Statement of the Problem......................................................................................................................................... 8 1.5. Objectives of the study..............................................................................................................................................8 1.7 Justification of the Study............................................................................................................................................ 9 1.8 Assumptions............................................................................................................. 10 1.9. Summary of Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 11 Chapter Two: Review of Relevant Literature...................................................................................... 12 2.1 Overview......................................................................................................................................................................12 2.2 Development of Animated Cartoons and Their Entrance into Television Programming.....................12 2.3 Development of Styles in Animated Cartoons....................................................................................................14 2.4 Sexuality in Cartoons, The Examples of Betty Boop and Jessica Rabbit................................................... 17 2.5 Infusing of Sexuality into Popular Culture..........................................................................................................18 2.6 How Children are Influenced by Animated Cartoons......................................................................................21 2.7 Violence and Behaviour in Children in Correlation to Animated Cartoons..............................................23 2.8 Television and Gender-Role Socialization in Children...................................................................................... 27 2.9 Positive Impacts of Animated Cartoons on Children.......................................................................................28 2.10 Theories of Media Effects on Children at the Middle Childhood Development stage........................31 Theories of Media Effects on Society and Children................................................................................................ 37 ii 2.11 Summary of Review of Relevant Literature...................................................................................................41 Chapter Three: Methods of Collecting Data....................................................................................................................43 3.1 Overview..................................................................................................................................................................... 43 3.2 Research Design.........................................................................................................................................................43 3.3 Study Population, Sample and Sampling Techniques......................................................................................43 3.4 Research methods........................................................................................................................ 44 3.5 Data Collection Procedures, Processing and Analysis.....................................................................................47 3.6 Summary of Methods of Collecting Data............................................................................................................48 Chapter Four: Data Presentation and Analysis.................................................................................................................49 4.1 Overview..................................................................................................................................................................... 49 4.2 Demographic Characteristics..................................................................................................................................49 Whether or not Children Like Watching Animated Cartoons.....................................................................51 Reasons Why Children Like Watching Animated Cartoons...........................................................................51 Where Children Watch Cartoons......................................................................................................................... 52 Whether or not the Respondents Watch Cartoons at Home.......................................................................53 When Children Watch Animated Cartoons........................................................................................................53 Television Station Preferred for Cartoon content............................................................................................ 57 The Top Choice Cartoons Among the Children.............................................................................................. 58 Focus group- Reason for Liking the Animated Cartoons...............................................................................60 Reasons for Liking Best Cartoon Character.......................................................................................................67 Worst Cartoon Character.......................................................................................................................................67 Discussion of Cartoons with Parents and Teachers.........................................................................................72 4.3 Summary of Findings............................................................................................. "................................................75 Chapter Five: Summary of Findings and Recommendation................................................................ 76 5.1 Summary of Findings............................................................................................................................................... 76 5.2 In General................................................................................................................................................................... 81 5.3 Recommendations.....................................................................................................................................................83