View: Full Record   Author: Anderson, Daniel R.; Bryant, Jennings; Wilder, Alice; Santomero, Angela; Williams, Marsha; Crawley, Alisha M. » Save Citation » Email Citation » View CMCH Synopsis Year: 2000 Article Title: Researching Blue's Clues: Viewing behavior and impact Journal: Media Psychology Volume: 2 Edition: Issue: 2 Pages: 179-194 ISBN/ISSN: 1521-3269 Source of Funding: Nickelodeon; Institute for Communication Research of the University of Alabama Study Design: Review Publication Type: Journal Article Age Group: Childhood (birth-12 yrs), Preschool Age (2-5 yrs) URL: Abstract: Objective: To summarize formative research on Blue's Clues exploring whether children acquire a characteristic style of watching TV from the program. Data Sources: Four research studies exploring the impact of Blue's Clues on developing a style of television viewing or on cognitive/social development. Study Selection: Studies using a sample of preschool children ages 3 - 5 from AL, CA, NC, RI, and TN. Children who did not receive Nickelodeon at home or daycare were demographically matched to regular viewers of Blue's Clues. Data Synthesis: Children watching the same episode of Blue's Clues repeatedly show increased material comprehension, especially in using problem-solving strategies. Regular viewers of Blue's Clues tend to interact with TV programming (both Blue's Clues and other programs) more frequently than other children. A longitudinal study indicated that watching Blue's Clues increased information-acquisition skills such as sequencing, patterning, relational concepts, and transformations. The program also improved children's problem solving and flexible thinking such as solving riddles, exhibiting creative thinking, and non-verbal and verbal expression skills. Conclusions: The Blue's Clues mission of improving comprehension and cognitive and social skills is being achieved successfully. Episode repetition can maximize comprehension without losing audience interest. Children can learn a style of watching TV from one program and transfer that style to other programs. © Center on Media and Child Health Keywords: Attention Children's Television Cognitive Development Communications Comprehension Education Educational Television Infants and Toddlers Learning Prosocial Behavior Prosocial Behavior (Media Content) Television Programs Uses and Gratifications

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