Learning of Media Content: A Developmental Study

COLLINS, W. ANDREW. Learning of Media Content: A Developmental Study. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1970, 41, 1133-1142. Third-, sixth-, seventh-, and ninth-grade Ss were tested for learning of essential and nonessential content from a media presentation for which they received no instructions to learn. It was expected that, even when Ss were unaware they would be tested on the media content, they would consider some information relatively more important than other information. Predictions were based on a hypothesized increase in learning ability with age and the ability of adolescents to attend selectively to information inputs. Results showed that learning of essential content increased as a linear function of age. Nonessential content was found to be a curvilinear function of age. A post hoc analysis using a score based on Ss' evaluations of the film (i.e., whether it was entertaining, whether they were similar to characters or to their roles, aspired social class, etc.) showed that Ss who gave the film a high evaluation learned more nonessential content than Ss who gave the film a low evaluation. Further research on this point was suggested.