TELEVISIONS IMPACT ON FANTASY PLAY - A REVIEW OF RESEARCH

This article reviews the available research literature on television's influence on fantasy play. Whether television viewing influences chil dren's fantasy play positively (stimulation hypothesis) or negatively (reduction hypothesis) is examined. There is evidence that television viewing absorbs time that children would otherwise spend in play (disp lacement). Apart from displacement effects, television's influence on fantasy play depends on the types of programs a child watches. In exce ptional cases, educational programs can enhance fantasy play. Benign, nonviolent programs do not affect fantasy play, whereas programs with high levels of violence reduce fantasy play. The authors discuss the e mpirical support for several different stimulation and reduction hypot heses. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.