How being a parent changes you...

[JohnT]

" Some people have a great response to visual images, others to audio cues and others to what they read, although of course everyone is a bit of a mixture. "

I wonder how much of this is caused by how people grew up? If you are surrounded by TV, with little access to books, would you then be more receptive to learning via a visual medium at an older age than a person raised in the opposing manner (lots of books, little TV)?

Anybody know of any studies along these lines?

[FrustratedPoet]

Originally posted by JohnT
Anybody know of any studies along these lines?

Sorry, I don't.
I wish I could back up what I just said with evidence, but my rather sparse knowledge of it is gained purely from when I was at school. My old biology teacher was doing a PhD thesis on this very topic, as it happens, and I was a guinea-pig in a few experiments for her (which is how I know I'm a 'reading person'), but I left school before she finished.
I never did find out what the conclusions of her research were.

[FrustratedPoet]

FWIW I read a great deal as a child (I still do) and now find it far easier to take in information that I read than in any other medium. I never watched much TV as a kid, far less than most of my friends, and don't feel like I pick up much new information when I watch the TV these days - it just reinforces things I already know.
So from this experiment (with sample size of one ) the hypothesis can be seen to be supported.

[JohnT]

Same here.

Question asked and answered! Next!!

[Dr Strangelove]

I'd have to disagree that TV can teach nothing. My kids seem to pick up quiite a bit from Nova, Animal Planet and The Discovery Chanel. The little guy has learned a lot, within his level of comprehension, about dinosaurs and various other topics in science. It's important to be there with him while he watches and to encourage him to talk about what he thinks the program is teaching because he often misinterprets the information presented by the programs since they're often a bit above his level. If an adult can be there to root out misconceptions a kid can learn a lot from TV.

Much of the programming for little kids is geared up towards the teaching of social behavior. In a world of WWF Smack Down, The Terminator, and South Park we're lucky just to hold our own.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

I think I now spend most of my waking hours watching "The Tweenies". Incidentally, Elok, spare me your opinions on this. If I want to hear an informed comment on parenthood I won't ask a ****ing babysitter.

[JohnT]

While I haven't been a paradigm of politeness towards Elok, his perspective is still valued by me, LtG, and he can contribute if he damned well wishes.

Thank you.

[JohnT]

"I'd have to disagree that TV can teach nothing. My kids seem to pick up quiite a bit from Nova, Animal Planet and The Discovery Chanel. "

Perhaps. Sophie is not at a stage where she can tell me what she is learning, and I feel like I've seen it all already - with this combination, it is quite reasonable that I'm unfairly discounting the effectiveness of TV in teaching facts while over-emphasising it's potential as a social force. Elok could be right and I wrong... the important thing here is what's good for Sophie, not if Daddy can keep another cherished mis-perception.

Time, and eventually Sophie, will tell.