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ERIC Number: ED212380
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1982-Jan
Pages: 72
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Children's Recollections of "Sesame Street."
Bempechat, Janine; And Others
This report presents a pilot study which collected preadolescents' retrospective reports of their preschool experiences with the television program, "Sesame Street." One-hundred-five fifth and sixth graders ranging from 9 to 12 years of age were asked to think back to when they viewed "Sesame Street" in their younger years and to respond to questions concerning their recall and understanding of program segments, characters, and settings. Further, subjects were interviewed about their preschool viewing habits, identification with characters, perceived value of "Sesame Street," and current opinion of the show. Results are discussed in terms of the following: preschool viewing habits; motivation for viewing "Sesame Street;" frequency of viewing the show; recall of the program's content, segments, characters, and set; pacing of segments; identification with characters; the reality of the street and its people; the influence of the program on subjects' role and imaginative play; the prosocial and academic values of the program; parental involvement in the viewing of "Sesame Street;" viewing and discussing the program with others; comparison of "Sesame Street" with other children's programs; and current opinion of the show. It was concluded that "Sesame Street" clearly had played a role in the subjects' lives -- a role that they recalled mostly with pleasure and fondness. Copies of the interview form used, the explanatory letter sent to subjects' parents, and the code sheet used are appended. (Author/MP)
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Children's Television Workshop, New York, NY.
Authoring Institution: Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA. Center for Research in Children's Television.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A