ABSTRACT
A thorough study of television’s influence on children’s development requires a close look both at the communication side and at developmental characteristics of the child viewers that influence their experience. Integration of these two major fields of research is essential; emphasizing only one leaves out a whole side of the equation. The wealth of research data on all aspects of children’s television experiences has led to the development of various theoretical interpretations and explanations within both the communication literature and the psychological and child development literature. Three theoretical perspectives are discussed in this chapter, and an integrative approach is proposed.
