The effects of cartoons on Lebanese children aged between 3 and 10

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to understand how cartoons affect children and to what extent is this effect detectable. The study explored mainly violent and aggressive behavior related to cartoons, the messages transmitted as well as the extent to which children imitate what they see. The data gathering process was possible through a survey that was filled by 222 mothers from all over Lebanon, having children aged between 3 and 10. Also, three focus groups, each consisting of 8 mothers, were conducted in order to get more accurate data and further insight. The results validated the hypothesis as they showed a strong connection between aggressive behavior and violence in cartoons. They also revealed the presence of inappropriate messages in these cartoons. The data also showed that children like to imitate what they see and this is greatly a negative effect due to all the violence and inappropriate scenes they might come across.