Latest on MJJC

Spongebob ruining kids' concentration?

PoP

Proud Member
Joined
May 25, 2008
Messages
6,608
Points
63
Country
Canada
I just saw on CTV news an hour and a half ago and they're talking about Spongebob may have ruin kids' minds.


Here's the source: http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/lo...ngebob-study-111209/20110912/?hub=CalgaryHome

I have to say as a huge Sponegbob fan, that's utter BULLCRAP!!! Don't listen to what they say about Spongebob, the media ruined Michael so much for so many years and now they wanna ruin Spongebob? They're such p****s! Kids can watch Spongebob as much as they want, my cousins daughter watches and loves Spongebob since she was a baby and when I first met her 5 years ago I let her borrow my big plush of Spongebob during the visit and she sleeps with him. If I ever see her again I wanna watch Spongebob with her, I know my cousin would.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE!?"- Plankton (on episode "Komputer Overloaded")
 
Oh yeah I heard this on nightline last night about Spongebob is not even that good for kids to wacth :busted:I mean whats worng with our kids today. When I was a kid gorwning up I used to wacth Bugs Bunny & Tweety Show.
 
A lot of kids these days watch Jersey Shore, and other programmes with vituperation. And nobody says something about that!
Leave Spongebob alone :D
 
They might be on to something in that it impairs young children's concentration immediately after they are exposed to the material (from that perspective, it makes sense--quick-paced television programming tends to really overwhelm children). However, there is no proof of long-term impairment of children's ability to concentrate and problem-solve as a direct result of being exposed to fast-paced TV programming such as SpongeBob.

@Ms.MJFan2007: I'm sure the Looney Tunes would make the list of fast-paced cartoons as well. The study conductors never claimed there was anything wrong with SpongeBob content-wise, they simply said its fast-paced nature overwhelmed really young children, a finding I would have to agree wtih. Really, the ideal thing for young children to watch would be slow-paced educational television (think Sesame Street and Mister Rogers).

Keep in mind, however, that the subjects of this study (as Nickelodeon pointed out in its defence) were basically toddlers--clearly not the target audience for fast-paced shows like SpongeBob or the Looney Tunes. Therefore, the study simply proved that fast-paced cartoons were not the best television programming for toddlers--it did not focus its findings on the group which is intended to be a target audience for these shows, that is, kids age 7 and up.

I think a happy medium needs to be reached between what the study conductors found and what Nickelodeon claims. I say this both as a SpongeBob fan and as someone who has observed the destructive effects of too much "entertainment" television on children and adults. While we should not completely give up entertainment-based television, we ought to guard against its complete domination of our (and our children's) time and interest. Ideally, we should treat it like junk food--okay to eat, but not exclusively.
 
Come on guys! Don't even listen to what they say, they just wanna attack Spongebob. I got a few people who agrees with what I'm talking about and the media should leave Spongebob alone. I mean kids can watch Spongebob if they want and the parents better think twice if they listen to that BS. I'd let my own kids watch Spongebob if they want.
 
The only reason kids watch spongebob is that there is almost no choice when it comes to quality children's programs......

the 80's and 90's were best for kids TV..........now there's just nothing!!!
 
Spongebob is one of the worst cartoons imo. There are so many great cartoons out there to watch. Never wasted my time with spongebob.
 
I can't believe you PEOPLE!!!
 
^Why so defensive? Some people may not like SpongeBob. I personally think it's alright and watch it from time to time, but I've got nothing against people who dislike it. In that matter, it's all opinion-based, and neither their nor my opinion is really all that important, now is it?

In regards to the study, I doubt they were out to target SpongeBob. Like I said in my previous post, SpongeBob was picked as an example because of its fast-paced nature and popularity amongst children. It's not exactly a secret that most children's television, SpongeBob included, is of dubious educational value and most probably a bad choice for children under 7 to watch (Nick itself admits that the show isn't aimed at such young audiences).
 
I don't give a damn what they say. Spongebob is a clean show no matter how you are. I mean WAKE UP!!! If I ever talk to every parents about this I'd tell they can watch Spongebob if they want and don't listen to what the media say. Believe the wanted to find something good to target and tarnish. Bet they're just jealous of how popular Spongebob is. Don't listen to these studys, they don't mean anything. Look at "Family Guy", kids still watches it when they're not old enough and does the media attacks the show? NO! I know they're attacking Spongebob because its's a decent cartoon.

DON'T LISTEN TO THOSE STUDIES!!!
 
Of course it's a clean show. Well, about as clean as Nickelodeon can get, and I think it's one of the only good choices for non-educational entertainment out there. I never said I had anything against SpongeBob, and I don't think the study conductors do either. However, the fast-paced nature can overwhelm really young children's brains, something which is not implausible. Over-stimulation of the brain is quite easy to achieve in young children.

The study is not disputing SpongeBob content-wise, so its decency/appropriateness or lack thereof is irrelevant. Moreover, Family Guy is most certainly not children's television, which is why it was not part of the study. Although some younger children do watch the show, it is not aimed at children at all, hence its TV-14 rating and its broadcasting in adult-oriented channels/blocks like TBS and Adult Swim.

Likewise, SpongeBob is meant to be watched by kids 7 and older, as Nickelodeon itself claimed. It's not the TV stations' fault that parents can't read ratings right, and adhere to them. -shrugs-
 
I'm not blaming TV stations or Nickelodeon, I'm blaming the media. Spongebob was rated "G" on YTV and Nickelodeon Canada and it doesn't mean you have to be over 7 for heaven sake. But I'm rather pissed off about what the media tries to do, trying to brainwash the parents. If nobody wants to defend Spongebob and take the damned media's side? Fine, go to the enemy's side. I hate when people hated Spongebob.
 
It's not so black-and-white. The media is not attacking SpongeBob. This is nothing like that ridiculous scandal some time ago when some idiot tried to claim SpongeBob made kids think homosexuality was ok, or whatever, which was based upon nothing at all except crackpot irrationality.

This, on the other hand, is science--and it is plausible that fast-paced shows can overwhelm young children's brains. However, in the show's defence, I doubt the effects discovered by the study are long-lasting, so I'd say people have nothing to worry about. I just wouldn't advise watching fast-paced shows like SB right before doing homework.

Yes, SpongeBob is rated "G"/TVY7 based on its content. This study had nothing to do with the show's specific content, and Nickelodeon said the target audience is kids age 7 and older, so I figure they'd know best, since they own the rights to the show, neh?
 
Well you know what? I'm gonna write to Nickelodeon about it. I'm gonna tell them not to listen to the media and I still know they're attacking Spongebob. I still don't care what they say, I know is they're lying whether you believe me or not. I just don't care anymore.
 
I don't think Nickelodeon is going to listen to them anyway. The results from the study are completely irrelevant to them, since they focus on kids younger than 7, which are not the target audience for shows like SpongeBob, ergo, the results of the study are completely irrelevant as far as they're concerned, which is what the guy from Nickelodeon said to begin with.
 
I still wish people should've done those damned studies on it, it angers me enough.
 
Last edited:
Entertainment is always blamed for things wrong with the world. Nobody can take responsibility and face reality. It's videogames & music's fault we have school shootings, right? People want these things to raise their kids for them but love to blame it when something is wrong. lol smh
 
schizophrenic said:
Entertainment is always blamed for things wrong with the world. Nobody can take responsibility and face reality. It's videogames & music's fault we have school shootings, right? People want these things to raise their kids for them but love to blame it when something is wrong. lol smh
Click to expand...

There is no study, as far as I know, which blames video games or music for school shootings or other deviant/criminal behaviour. That's mostly speculation by ignorant(and, coincidentally, predominantly conservative) parents. I agree with you in that parents ought to raise their kids and be involved in supervising what they watch/read/play/etc. and that it is not the entertainers' responsibility to cater to lazy parents. However, this study has nothing to do with that, as it is not debating the appropriateness or lack thereof of SpongeBob in and of itself. It is merely stating that fast-paced cartoons can overstimulate really young children's brains, leading to an immediately observable decline in their problem-solving performance.

It makes no claims of long-term damage, nor does it call for the cancellation of shows like SB. Even Nickelodeon itself says its non-Nick Jr. shows are not meant to be watched by children younger than 7.

So, really, parents should be the ones paying attention to what their kids do, and not expect entertainers to do so. That's a view I've held for a long time, so it appears we agree on that much.
 
Shouldn't the question be:

Is Spongebob ruining our children????
 
If it is. My answer will be and still be:

NO! I don't give a damn about the studies, I don't care about what the animation speed and I just don't freakin' care what anybody else say. It's still stupid.
 
Krshna28 said:
Shouldn't the question be:

Is Spongebob ruining our children????
Click to expand...

No. Bad parenting is. SpongeBob and other cartoons, in moderation, can be very entertaining and quite harmless. However, the current culture expects television to babysit children, thus relieving lazy and irresponsible parents from the "burden" of (god forbid!) looking after/being involved in their child's life in any way, shape, or form.

It's not the media's job to decide what is and isn't proper for children to be exposed to--that judgement should be made by children's parents. Since so few are active in actually paying attention to their child's life, however, useless things like the television rating system have been erected in hopes of making the arduous and mentally draining task of watching what one's children are doing a bit easier to do. Even with that supplement, parents still fail to be involved in supervising their children. Consequently, they cry out whenever their little angels are exposed to anything they perceive to be "improper," blaming the networks for not doing the things they as parents have sorely neglected to do.

Pardon my ignorance, but isn't it the parents' job to parent?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top