AN INVESTIGATION ON THE INFLUENCE OF ANIMATED CARTOONS ON THE CHARACTERS AND BEHAVIOURS OF CHILDREN

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the influence of animated cartoons on the character and behaviour of children in Nigeria and it was anchored on Social Learning Theory, Social Cognitive Theory and Cognitive Theory. The study adopted survey research method with the use of questionnaire which contained 16 questions. Proportional sampling technique was used to draw out 50 respondents from the three (3) selected nursery and primary schools in Edo State. Data generated from the administration of the questionnaire were analysed with frequency tables and simple percentages. The findings of this study revealed that children view animated cartoons on daily basis during their leisure hours both in school and at home, animated cartoons have both negative and positive impacts on the social life of children, the satisfactions children seek from animated cartoon programmes on television are entertainment and educational satisfactions and animated cartoons have both violence and friendly impact on the characters and behaviours of children. The study concludes that animated cartoons are created initially with the intention of educating, exposing and creating more experience of civilization in children. In building such culture in them, civilization came with a different view to such and has now influenced these intentions with some negative impacts thereby making it corruptible and passed unto children what is not meant for them to consume. Therefore, the researcher recommended that writers and producers of animated cartoons should produce animated cartoons that are entertaining and educational without portraying dangerous and negative messages that might negatively impact the behaviours and characters of children, parents and mediators should filter and control what kind of animated cartoons messages are consumed by their children and pupils respectively and television networks or channels should endeavour to censor the messages consumed by children from the animated cartoons aired on their networks by carefully selecting and airing educational and entertaining animated cartoons that will not impact the children negatively.