the child and television drama: the psychosocial impact of cumulative viewing

2
244 BOOK REVIEWS about the use of the video game as a form of resistance for both patient and therapist. In group therapy, video provides a way to repeatedly confront patients to "identify patterns of manipula- tive, self-defeating, hOb\;ile or withdrawing behavior." There are practical suggestions devised to help the clinician structure the use of television for more effec- tive confrontation. All forms of group therapy are discussed. The author includes a wide variety of uses of television in conducting family therapy, with the emphasis on process of family interactions. The section on training and supervision provides a sound rationale and useful suggestions spanning in- service training for large groups to "micro-counsel- ing." The latter focuses on highly specific psychother- apy skills. Simulation tapes are also described so that techniques are developed which give the supervisor or teacher an opportunity to develop a curriculum. The book concludes with a view of special popula- tions, including the suicidal patient, seizure disorders, alcoholics, anorexia nervosa patients, Tourette's syn- drome, assertion training, parent training, and sex therapy and helpful suggestions are provided for using specific television techniques. Finally, the appendix provides a wide variety of resources for script, educa- tional television, specific videotapes in the mental health field, and material for providing information to parents in guiding their children's television viewing. In all, Heilveil has produced a useful overview and reference book on video for the practitioner and teacher. The Child and Television Drama: The Psychosocial Impact of Cumulative Viewing, Formulated by the Committee on Social Issues, Group for the Advance- ment of Psychiatry. New York, Mental Health Ma- terial Center, 1982, 124 pp., price: $13.75. Reviewed by Anthony D. Meyer, M.D. While there has been much speculation about the harmful effects of television, this report presents a concise, thorough review of the implications of cu- mulative viewing for children and adolescents based on current, available studies. There is knowledgeable speculation about the interface of child/adolescentego development and the impact of television. The book poses emergent, research questions and raises related issues. Though television is a potentially positive me- dium for bringing the outside world to people, for cultural enrichment, and as an opportunity to share events and knowledge, the authors' view oftelevision's impact on children is essentially negative. Highlights from the study include a description of the profit-motive 10 programming, which is in fact paramount. Children with family troubles and unstable peer relationships will often become heavy viewers. They tend to turn away from more active and develop- mentally appropriate solutions to their problems. Tel- evision is then seen as a substitute for the intimacy and engagement of a nurturing parent/child relation- ship. The process of identification is consequently affected. The authors emphasize the different influ- ences at various developmental levels. For example, the toddler may use television as a transitional ob- ject. Cartoons have a special appeal to preschoolers. Prolonged television viewing for the adolescent engen- ders isolation and may be used to avoid appropriate separation from the family and building intimacy with others. A very key issue is the merger of fantasy and reality which television portrays. The flat, quick-fix solutions to problems foster disillusionment in children when they discover that real life is not what television has made it appear to be. There has been concern about television's promotion of passivity. However, some of the studies suggest that passivity in a child leads to heavy viewing rather than the opposite. It is clear that the immediate, passive gratification provided by tele- vision may create problems for some children. Conflict is central to drama, but conflict does not always equal violence. Conflict is unfortunately oversimplified by television, reduced to good or bad or right or wrong. There is no promotion of the mature aspects of uncertainty and doubt. The resolution of conflict is heavily action-oriented; there is a dearth of thinking, feeling, and talking things out. This leads into the obvious effects of violence. A great number of studies note that children manifest greater aggres- siveness after viewing televised violence. Television portrayals of violence tend to desensitize people to its effects and break down inhibitions against such be- havior. The study points out television stereotypes in people that reflect simplistically and badly on men, women, minorities, feelings, and character traits. The ultimate consequence of such stereotyping is a kind of dehumanization that underscores a tendency to pro- ject blame and fault. Though emphasizing the negative effects, the book leaves one with an optimistic note, giving parents and professionals guidelines and recommendations. The guidelines provide a solid rationale. Clearly, it is up to mental health leadership to stimulate continued in- terest and guidance to parents and educators on issues of television viewing. This book is a valuable resource and guide book for anyone concerned about children and television. It leaves one wondering whether tele-

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244 BOOK REVIEWS

about the use of the video game as a form of resistancefor both patient and therapist.

In group therapy, video provides a way to repeatedlyconfront patients to "identify patterns of manipula­tive, self-defeating, hOb\;ile or withdrawing behavior."There are practical suggestions devised to help theclinician structure the use of television for more effec­tive confrontation. All forms of group therapy arediscussed. The author includes a wide variety of usesof television in conducting family therapy, with theemphasis on process of family interactions.

The section on training and supervision provides asound rationale and useful suggestions spanning in­service training for large groups to "micro-counsel­ing." The latter focuses on highly specific psychother­apy skills. Simulation tapes are also described so thattechniques are developed which give the supervisor orteacher an opportunity to develop a curriculum.

The book concludes with a view of special popula­tions, including the suicidal patient, seizure disorders,alcoholics, anorexia nervosa patients, Tourette's syn­drome, assertion training, parent training, and sextherapy and helpful suggestions are provided for usingspecific television techniques. Finally, the appendixprovides a wide variety of resources for script, educa­tional television, specific videotapes in the mentalhealth field, and material for providing information toparents in guiding their children's television viewing.In all, Heilveil has produced a useful overview andreference book on video for the practitioner andteacher.

The Child and Television Drama: The PsychosocialImpact of Cumulative Viewing, Formulated by theCommittee on Social Issues, Group for the Advance­ment of Psychiatry. New York, Mental Health Ma­terial Center, 1982, 124 pp., price: $13.75.

Reviewed by Anthony D. Meyer, M.D.

While there has been much speculation about theharmful effects of television, this report presents aconcise, thorough review of the implications of cu­mulative viewing for children and adolescents basedon current, available studies. There is knowledgeablespeculation about the interface of child/adolescent egodevelopment and the impact of television. The bookposes emergent, research questions and raises relatedissues. Though television is a potentially positive me­dium for bringing the outside world to people, forcultural enrichment, and as an opportunity to shareevents and knowledge, the authors' view oftelevision'simpact on children is essentially negative.

Highlights from the study include a description of

the profit-motive 10 programming, which is in factparamount.

Children with family troubles and unstable peerrelationships will often become heavy viewers. Theytend to turn away from more active and develop­mentally appropriate solutions to their problems. Tel­evision is then seen as a substitute for the intimacyand engagement of a nurturing parent/child relation­ship. The process of identification is consequentlyaffected. The authors emphasize the different influ­ences at various developmental levels. For example,the toddler may use television as a transitional ob­ject. Cartoons have a special appeal to preschoolers.Prolonged television viewing for the adolescent engen­ders isolation and may be used to avoid appropriateseparation from the family and building intimacy withothers.

A very key issue is the merger of fantasy and realitywhich television portrays. The flat, quick-fix solutionsto problems foster disillusionment in children whenthey discover that real life is not what television hasmade it appear to be. There has been concern abouttelevision's promotion of passivity. However, some ofthe studies suggest that passivity in a child leads toheavy viewing rather than the opposite. It is clear thatthe immediate, passive gratification provided by tele­vision may create problems for some children.

Conflict is central to drama, but conflict does notalways equal violence. Conflict is unfortunatelyoversimplified by television, reduced to good or bad orright or wrong. There is no promotion of the matureaspects of uncertainty and doubt. The resolution ofconflict is heavily action-oriented; there is a dearth ofthinking, feeling, and talking things out. This leadsinto the obvious effects of violence. A great numberof studies note that children manifest greater aggres­siveness after viewing televised violence. Televisionportrayals of violence tend to desensitize people to itseffects and break down inhibitions against such be­havior. The study points out television stereotypes inpeople that reflect simplistically and badly on men,women, minorities, feelings, and character traits. Theultimate consequence of such stereotyping is a kind ofdehumanization that underscores a tendency to pro­ject blame and fault.

Though emphasizing the negative effects, the bookleaves one with an optimistic note, giving parents andprofessionals guidelines and recommendations. Theguidelines provide a solid rationale. Clearly, it is up tomental health leadership to stimulate continued in­terest and guidance to parents and educators on issuesof television viewing. This book is a valuable resourceand guide book for anyone concerned about childrenand television. It leaves one wondering whether tele-

BOOK REVIEWS 245

vision is an industry with responsibility to our societyor another noxious influence in our culture. This is asolid work by the Group for the Advancement ofPsychiatry and its Committee on Social Issues underthe Chairmanship of Roy Menninger, M.D.

Mind at Play. The Psychology of Video Games, byGeoffrey R. Loftus and Elizabeth F. Loftus. NewYork: Basic Books, 1983, 191 pp., price $14.95.

Reviewed by Anthony D. Meyer, M.D.

Mind at Play is a simply written book for mass con­sumption which introduces the reader to computertechnology, principles of learning by reinforcement,research ideas, and the potential for educational use.The razzle dazzle of the lights and sound, the themesof death and destruction, and the sense of controlwhich underlie the attraction of the games can poten­tially stimulate acting out. The authors are quick topoint out the potential benefits if these elements areharnessed. The partial reinforcement effect providesthe ingredient for addiction; Pac Man, for example,has multiple reinforcements, such as dots, monsters,symbols, music, etc. The games also have a reinforcingquality if one needs to pay for them. Hence, cognitivedissonance accounts for the fact that the reinforce­ment obtained from the games themselves is enhancedrather than countered by having to insert quarter afterquarter.

Video games are "responsive." Fantasy appearsmore important than feedback, but fantasy itself isfeedback. In reading a book, one passively observesfantasies, but when a computer game is played, thereis active participation in the fantasy world created bythe game which alters the outcome of the game. Threebasic ingredients are inherent in the student-computergame experience: challenge, fantasy, and curiosity.Setting the level of difficulty provides the challenge.Physical images and make-believe provide the fanta­sies. An optimal level of informational complexitywhets the curiosity.

The authors provide a readable review of the cog­nitive system, stressing sensory memory, tension,short-term memory, and long-term memory. Elementsof video games are sorted into these categories. Thesebecome building blocks for expectancy as well as ver­bal and visual distinction. One is stimulated to refinetwo mental functions at the same time. Motor andcognitive independence are achieved with practice sothat eye-hand coordination become autonomous andautomatic.

A section is devoted to the arcade subculture withanalogies to former subcultural hangouts and activi­ties, such as drive-in restaurants. The video arcade is

a modern day drive-in. The obvious difference is thatthe video arcade can be a solitary experience. That is,the arcade does not require social interaction as thedrive-in once did. Spontaneous verbalization is fre­quently found in the player talking to the machine.The arcade may be then social or nonsocial, dependingon the kind of personality which the person brings toit.

Death and destruction playa large role in the com­puter games. Research regarding whether violence invideo games produces violent behavior in people hasyet to be systematically reported.

A considerable portion of the book is devoted toeducation or how intrinsic motivation and computerbased interaction are combined. The authors stresscomputers as interactive devices which, in contrast totelevision, require an active engagement and self-di­rection in the learning process. As an introduction tocomputers, video games may be invaluable. For ex­ample, the video game provides the motivation to learnenough about how to program a computer to be ableto create video games. In so doing, a great deal islearned about computers. The question, however, re­mains as to whether the child can transpose the tech­niques and skills learned from video games to largerproblem-solving schema.

Education-oriented video games may stimulate stu­dents to learn faster, more efficiently, or to begin tolearn at all. Graphics, fantasies, bells, and whistlesmay all reinforce learning. Spelling, reading, math,and learning physical laws may all be helped by videotechniques. It is obvious that computer games have anunlimited capacity to stimulate one's interest andfacility in computer technology.

The book is a good primer for those interested invideo games, computers, and their potential beneficialeffects. Unfortunately, the authors have not providedeven a basic appreciation of a child's cognitive andemotional growth and fail to present the issues in adevelopmental perspective.

Identity and Intimacy in Twins. By Barbara Schaveand Janet Ciriello. New York: Praeger, 1983,136 pp., $21.95.

Reviewed by Martin G. Allen, M.D.*In the preface, the authors state that the book iswritten for mental health professionals, parents oftwins, and twins themselves. They appear to haveachieved this goal of addressing a multiple audience.

* Dr. Allen is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the GeorgetownUniversity School of Medicine, and Instructor in Psychoanalysis atthe Washington Psychoanalytic Institute, Washington, D.C.