Changing Paradigms1 Academic Research on Child Audience Children ’ s relationship with media (electronic media) Pursuit of scientific truth? Or determined by dominant discourses in public arena: Politicians Journalists: Popular press vs. Quality press The process of defining the child audience is a kind of industry. (What childhood is, and what it should be) Still two forms of sentimentality Vulnerable children need adult protection Active, media-wise audience deals with technology

Changing Paradigms2 Ongoing Action and Reaction Pendulum between powerful media and powerful audience Recently toward the latter; but “ effects ” research has been dominant tradition (behaviorism) Increasingly studied: individual differences, social factors and influences in children ’ s lives

Changing Paradigms3 Active Audience Research moving from behaviorism to constructivism: Stimulus & response to How children interpret what they encounter In studying children ’ s understanding of media: Micro, rather than Macro aspects Specific forms of mental processing, rather than media role in forming attitudes and beliefs E.g., attention, understanding narratives, interpret TV features

Changing Paradigms4 Active Audience Piagetian approach: ages and stages Children come to know: Realism vs. Illusion of realism Developmental psychology criticized: Oversimplifying social contexts Individualistic The ‘ map ’ of human mind toward maturity

Changing Paradigms5 Social Audience From psychological emphasis to sociological analysis: From effects toward meanings and uses Social semiotic approach: Social and discursive process of meaning construction Eg., Children define and construct social identities through talk about television. Social negotiation: making sense of media; meaning production

Changing Paradigms6 Reality Revisited Eg.,Condemning programs as ‘ unrealistic ’ Girls: against action-adventure cartoons (boys ’ childish taste) Boy: against muscle-bound program (anxiety of masculine identity) Asking children about television Children ’ s critical judgment? Middle-class vs. working-class children Social phenomenon: Seeking to define social identities Being able to make critical discourse as a valuable capital

Changing Paradigms7 The Limits of the Active Audience Research Children are active, not to be influenced by what they watch and read? Can adults easily speak or act on behalf of children? Little long-term immersion (ethnography)