The Family and Child Television Viewing

Abstract

Do the patterns offamily interpersonal communication influence children's television viewing? That was the major research question examined in this field study. The results indicate that in families in which the pattern of communication emphasized parent-child relations, as opposed to child-idea relations, the children's viewing preferences are influenced by what they perceive their parents would prefer them to watch. It was also found that children, when selecting a TV program to watch, will likely select one similar to their own family's communication pattern.