Psychologists take on big money baby DVD market!

[GiantSteps]

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070809/tv_nm/babies_videos_dc;_ylt=ApGHNOWukzHMlOGatzuiidOs0NUE

Some have you may have seen this news of this developmental psychology study which is getting a great deal of press since the findings seriously challenge the benefits of the baby DVD/ Video market which for years has promised to enhance infants intelligence levels. Now the truth may be out - that not only do the DVD not enhance intellectual ability but before a certain agae may hinder language development (well, I think it is really just the old problem of too much time infront of a TV and not enough attention from parents).

What I find interesting is that the psychologists behind the study are challenging an enormous business industry (it must be bringing in 100's of millions of dollars) of baby DVD's/ video. With so much money on the line, I am sure the companies which produce the baby DVD's will not only challenge the findings but pump alot of money into funding studies aimed at proving that the DVD/ videos do work. Does everyone think that the big corporate money will win out or will the lowly research psychology stand behind their research?

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Most of the public will probably not notice/care....and still buy the DVDs.

Though...it could get interesting.

*pulls up a chair*

-t

 

[GiantSteps]

Most of the public will probably not notice/care....and still buy the DVDs.

Though...it could get interesting.

*pulls up a chair*

-t

T4C,

I was hoping for a major big dollar corporations vs. the nerdy academic scientists fight! Suddenly, there could be funding for everyone - even Psy.D's!

You really think the general public will not notice this if it gets enough press? I have already heard and seen it on a number of major news sources.

I bet if the study were about how a certain product does not really help you dog or cat that not only would people stop buying the product but people would file lawsuits! Dogs and cats always seem to trump people! People would not care if Michael Vick had been mistreating children but dogs are another story!

 

[RayneeDeigh]

Dogs and cats always seem to trump people!

Damn right they do! I love my animals more than I love people.

Anyway, this reminded me that I wish they'd do some more studies about whether Montessori schooling in early years makes any difference in later development.

As for baby DVDs... what's wrong with Sesame Street? It's free, it's educational, it's great. I don't know why parents are buying a bazillion DVDs for their kids.

 

[saurus]

You really think the general public will not notice this if it gets enough press? I have already heard and seen it on a number of major news sources.

I bet if the study were about how a certain product does not really help you dog or cat that not only would people stop buying the product but people would file lawsuits! Dogs and cats always seem to trump people! People would not care if Michael Vick had been mistreating children but dogs are another story!

Well, the general public also hears tons of reports on how cigarettes are bad, yet people still smoke. This applies really to a lot of big industries, such as fast food. It's sad, but people can be very apathetic. Plus, these companies spend like a gajillion dollars on advertising that is misleading to the public. My new favorite is the one about how McDonald's cares about the nutrition of kids....😎

Companies will and do release pseudoscience publications to trick the masses. That's why there's such a separation in opinion between the general public and scientists on the subject of global warming.

**Gets off my soapbox podium**

That being said, has any one seen the Sprout TV channel? It's a channel, I kid you not, marketed to toddlers and younger.

 

[GiantSteps]

Oh gee, suddenly the RayneeDeigh is acknowledging my presence again.😍

Damn right they do! I love my animals more than I love people.
Anyway, this reminded me that I wish they'd do some more studies about whether Montessori schooling in early years makes any difference in later development..

Sometimes studies are not needed since the proof is in the pudding. So, when is your next Montessri alumni reunion?

As for baby DVDs... what's wrong with Sesame Street? It's free, it's educational, it's great. I don't know why parents are buying a bazillion DVDs for their kids.

Sesame Street is for older kids. This study was talking about things like Baby Einstein.

However, to answer your question about what is wrong with Sesame Street:

1. After all these years Burt and Ernie never came out of the closet.
2. Mr. Snuffleufagus (spelling?) was always the imaginary friend of Big Birds who no one else ever saw. This was fine until people realized that child molesters were telling kids that they were imaginary friends who no else would see.
3. An ex-girlfriend of mine was in the original opening scene of kids jumping around.
4. It is ok to live in a garbage can.
5. No differential diagnosis between a Sesame Street characters and a Muppets. Kermit being the most difficult case. And no, he can not be dually diagnosed!
6. "Ala peanut butter sandwiches!" What about all the allergies to peanut butter?
7. Cookie Monster's love of cookies has resulted in an overweight generation of kids with parents who hate carbs.
8. They let Walmart run Mr. Hooper out of business!
9. There Is A Monster At the End of This Book! Thanks to furry loveable Grover's book, kids no longer read Mallory, Twain, and Conan Doyle!
10. Ten! AH HA HA! The Count! Who could end a Sesame Street set of ten without that whacky counting blood sucking vampire? Did the count ever screen blood before biting anyone? Now we have all sorts of blood born pathogens because of that guy!

 

[TherapistDave]

Parents are becoming busier and busier these days, and that means that children are suffering from it. They are told that it is ok to set little Jonny or Suzy in front of the tv and "learn" for a few hours. The article mentioned touched on a couple of things that are important to note:

1. Children (especially at those ages) are only "awake" for a couple of hours, when their brain can soak in information. Most of the time the kids won't be soaking anything up, because in many cases the parents are putting them in front of the tube for such extended periods of time.

2. Even if the time frame is right for a child, the host/hostess/cartoon on the tube cannot encompass the same emotions that a parent can; so much of communication is nonverbal.

Unfortunately, IMO this is something that will only drive the companies to produce their own "unbiased" research on the subject. That means big payment for some psychologist and his crack team of professionals somewhere, but for the rest of us looking to make a difference, it appears as though we are to be trampled underfoot.

Then again, who knows; maybe the tables can be truned with enough force...

 

[RayneeDeigh]

Oh gee, suddenly the RayneeDeigh is acknowledging my presence again.😍

lol I'm sorry, I didn't know I ever denied your existence. 😀

Sometimes studies are not needed since the proof is in the pudding. So, when is your next Montessri alumni reunion?

Haha yeah, yeah. I went there from the ages of 2-5. But the majority of people I know who went there are doing absolutely nothing with their lives now so I think the whole "Montessori kids are smarter" stuff is probably crap anyway.

Sesame Street is for older kids. This study was talking about things like Baby Einstein.

No way man! I watched that show from like, the day I was born.

However, to answer your question about what is wrong with Sesame Street:

9. There Is A Monster At the End of This Book! Thanks to furry loveable Grover's book, kids no longer read Mallory, Twain, and Conan Doyle!

Oh my god, you have no idea. It's a running joke in my family that I was terrified of this book as a kid. All the bricks fall on him. 🙁

But I did just buy a trash can for my new kitchen that looks exactly like an oscar can. I'm so excited.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Dave pretty much hit on the topics I was going to bring up, so yeah....if you get to my post and want to know what I think...go to his post, and that is about the gist of it.

-t

 

[KeyT]

I am all for women wanting to work. But when did kid start having ADHD and all sorts of other mental problems? 30 maybe 40 years at most, about the same time kids where starting to be raised by day care centers or the TV set

I am not saying every kid raised by a stay at home mom is an Einstein, but maybe we should research this connection more.

 

[RayneeDeigh]

I am all for women wanting to work. But when did kid start having ADHD and all sorts of other mental problems? 30 maybe 40 years at most, about the same time kids where starting to be raised by day care centers or the TV set

I am not saying every kid raised by a stay at home mom is an Einstein, but maybe we should research this connection more.

My brother has ADHD and my mom has always stayed home. Granted he's been tested at a genius IQ which I'm sure has something to do with her efforts to enrich our learning.

I think it's more likely that children had these problems long before women went into the work force. Lots of women had to go work during WWI and nobody ever suggests that ADHD started then.

But you do raise a good point and I think it would be worthwhile for someone to look into a connection... although then it runs the risk of paralleling the autism debate about whether or not it's due to bad mothering.