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Psychologists fear cartoons are ruining children’s concentration

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By The Drum Team, Editorial

September 12, 2011 | 2 min read

Children’s concentration is being harmed by the relentless pace of modern cartoons such as Sponge Bob Square Pants – according to new research.

This found that toddlers exposed to animations with rapid scene changes performed worse in problem solving and attention tests than those shown slower paced cartoons.

Settings in the popular cartoon shift as regularly as every 11 seconds, confusing many of the 21 children assigned to watch the 9 minute clip.

Psychologists believe that the flashing images are over-taxing a region of the brain responsible for goal directed behaviour, working memory and delay of gratification – leading to impaired abilities in all.

Dr Angeline Lillard, of the University of Virginia (which carried out the study), said: “Given the popularity of some fast-paced television cartoons among young children, it is important that parents are alert to the possibility of lower levels of executive function in young children at least immediately after watching such shows.”

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