Sponge Bob leads to Sponge Brains

[LatinTea]

Well, finally, a study that validates my concerns over this dumb show. We even know adults who watch it. Gotta wonder what it does after many years of viewing. :001_huh: Maybe they will do that study next. ;)

 

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/09/12/watching-spongebob-can-lead-to-learning-problems/

[RegGuheert]

It seems SpongeBob is also now absorbing some of my tax dollars... :glare:

[Jennifer3141]

Why do we need a government funded study to determine that stupid junk makes you stupid??

[WishboneDawn]

The study was done on 4 year olds.

 

Spongebob is not meant for 4 year olds.

 

We love Spongebob in my house. Cailou on the other hand...*shudder*

[Jennifer3141]

The study was done on 4 year olds.

 

Spongebob is not meant for 4 year olds.

 

We love Spongebob in my house. Cailou on the other hand...*shudder*

 

And I don't mean to be a snob, Dawn. Everyone has their "junk" (except for possibly this one homeschooling family I know that has banned all screens and non-classics from their lives).

 

We don't have cable TV but when we're in a hotel, my kids LOVE their Spongebob. But I wouldn't call it classic literature and I wouldn't expect it to actually contribute anything to their brain growth.

 

Our "junk" is 30 Rock and Batman cartoons around here. And a smidgeon of Netflix Strawberry Shortcake. :)

[TracyR]

The study was done on 4 year olds.

 

Spongebob is not meant for 4 year olds.

 

We love Spongebob in my house. Cailou on the other hand...*shudder*

 

:iagree:

Same here. Spongebob is loved in our house. I'm not sure why. But it is. Its a lot better than most programs on tv anyways. Besides we all need a little laughter and humor in our lives.

Cailou grates on my nerves, he whines just way to much for my liking.

 

I'll have to say my youngest has watched Spongebob for a while. She has older sisters. Things like Sesame Street went a long time ago after my first child. LOL She will watch Dora and Bubble Guppies though. Needless to say she is an advanced learner. So really, Spongebob evidently didn't do to much damage to her brain. :tongue_smilie:

[Parrothead]

I'd really like to see the actual study and the actual results. How many 4-year olds. How close to nap time. How close to lunch. Too many "mays," "cans" and "coulds" in the article to suit me.

 

Spongebob has been on the air since 1999. There has to be something said for its longevity. If it were making idiots/brats out of all the kids watching it we'd be seeing that across the board by now.

[Lady Marmalade]

The study was done on 4 year olds.

 

Spongebob is not meant for 4 year olds.

 

We love Spongebob in my house. Cailou on the other hand...*shudder*

 

:iagree: And clearly, the episode they used for their study was not the one on Imagination, where Spongebob and Patrick spend all day using their imaginations in a plain old cardboard box. That episode is what completely changed my opinion on Spongebob, as it resulted in WEEKS of amazing imaginative play for my kids who, up to that point, weren't really big on it.

 

Sometimes you just need to veg, relax and laugh.

[Jenny in Florida]

It appears this won't be a popular opinion, but I've always hated Spongebob, and my kids were never allowed to watch the show. I found it grating and just plain obnoxious, and the idea of my kid imitating one of the characters made me shudder. I'm not at all surprised at the results of this study.

[sparrow]

I'm more concerned about the adults/parents reading this article if they need to be told this:

 

The study also recommended that parents use creative -- such as drawing, using building blocks and playing outdoors -- to help their children develop sound behaviors and learning skills.

 

 

 

from a professional "expert" :glare:.

 

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some Spongebob to watch :D.

[Jenny in Florida]

Needless to say she is an advanced learner. So really, Spongebob evidently didn't do to much damage to her brain. :tongue_smilie:

 

But just imagine how brilliant she might have been . . . (Kidding, I promise.)

[Jenny in Florida]

That episode is what completely changed my opinion on Spongebob, as it resulted in WEEKS of amazing imaginative play for my kids who, up to that point, weren't really big on it.

 

See, I guess we didn't need a TV show to tell us that a cardboard box is the best toy. My son, in particular, always thought getting a big box was better than Christmas.

[WishboneDawn]

And I don't mean to be a snob, Dawn. Everyone has their "junk" (except for possibly this one homeschooling family I know that has banned all screens and non-classics from their lives).

 

We don't have cable TV but when we're in a hotel, my kids LOVE their Spongebob. But I wouldn't call it classic literature and I wouldn't expect it to actually contribute anything to their brain growth.

 

Our "junk" is 30 Rock and Batman cartoons around here. And a smidgeon of Netflix Strawberry Shortcake. :)

 

I know Spongebob is not high art. :D It's just that the study was rather silly. Spongebob is very silly, but it's not meant to be educationally enriching for 4 year olds.

[WishboneDawn]

I'd really like to see the actual study and the actual results. How many 4-year olds. How close to nap time. How close to lunch. Too many "mays," "cans" and "coulds" in the article to suit me.

 

Spongebob has been on the air since 1999. There has to be something said for its longevity. If it were making idiots/brats out of all the kids watching it we'd be seeing that across the board by now.

 

And how long did the effects last?

 

There are studies that link playing video games with increased violence in children that play them. No one mentions that effects last for about 20 minutes after playing and then that's about it, the kids are normal again.

[3peasinWa]

I love me some Spongebob!

[SKL]

I'm glad we don't have time for TV around here.

 

But as far as what the study is good for - they tested the kids immediately after the show. Who puts their kid in front of a crazy cartoon right before they need to focus on schoolwork? Maybe if they are wired differently, but not in general. So I'm not sure this information is useful. I still don't see a need to feed my kids passive screen time, but we have our own issues.

 

Then again, I'm the crazy mom who gives the kids candy right before bed. Somehow it doesn't interfere with their bedtime, even though it makes a certain individual crazy any other time of the day. Hey, whatever works.

[WishboneDawn]

See, I guess we didn't need a TV show to tell us that a cardboard box is the best toy. My son, in particular, always thought getting a big box was better than Christmas.

 

I don't think the point was that the other poster's kids needed the episode to realize they could play with a cardboard box but simply that it inspired them to play in a certain way for a period of time. That the effects of the show could be positive in some respects.

[kewb]

Is there really anyone left who does not know that too much tv watching is bad for young children? How many more studies will be done to let parents know that they are supposed to talk with their children, allow them to explore their world, and give them art supplies, and plenty of outdoor time? At this point in time isn't that kind of a "Well, duh" conclusion?

[AuntieM]

From the news bit I heard, the criticism comes not from the content of the show, but from the pacing. Four year old preschoolers cannot follow the speed of events and thus default to zombie mode while viewing.

 

In response, the show's producers state that the intended audience is 6 to 11 yos.

 

Additionally, we find it therapeutic for high schoolers following a trigonometry test. :D

[Parrothead]

And how long did the effects last?

 

There are studies that link playing video games with increased violence in children that play them. No one mentions that effects last for about 20 minutes after playing and then that's about it, the kids are normal again.

I wonder if that is any video game or just violent age-inappropriate video games. I never noticed a great deal of violence after dd and I play Mario Kart.

 

 

 

(Yes, yes. I do know there are some kids who cannot process the change from fantasy and video games back to reality well. I get that.)

[TravelingChris]

This is a stupid study. Yes, my kids watched SpongeBob. I think it was mostly after we moved to Europe and had very limited tv. They were 14, 10, and 6 almost 7. SpongeBob was much more popular with teens than with toddlers or preschoolers. As I said, a dumb study. Oh and my kids didn't become stupid by watching them as each in turn scores in the top 5% of the nation if not higher. They did that before SpongeBob and after it too.

[Stacy in NJ]

They tested the kids immediately after watching either SpongBob or Calloui (sp). This tells nothing about any long term effects. Another junk study with junk results paid for by the American tax payer to keep nearly useless "social scientists" employed.

 

From the news bit I heard, the criticism comes not from the content of the show, but from the pacing. Four year old preschoolers cannot follow the speed of events and thus default to zombie mode while viewing.

 

In response, the show's producers state that the intended audience is 6 to 11 yos.

 

Additionally, we find it therapeutic for high schoolers following a trigonometry test. :D

[Jennifer3141]

They tested the kids immediately after watching either SpongBob or Calloui (sp). This tells nothing about any long term effects. Another junk study with junk results paid for by the American tax payer to keep nearly useless "social scientists" employed.

 

But Stacy, what is your REAL opinion?? :D

 

And ITA with you.

[LidiyaDawn]

Too many "mays," "cans" and "coulds" in the article to suit me.

 

But those are great words to use if you want to sound like you got certain results. ;)

 

 

…they tested FOUR YEAR OLD KIDS.

 

as if they're going to have any kind of predictability as a comparison. Yeah RIGHT. :tongue_smilie:

[sassenach]

It appears this won't be a popular opinion, but I've always hated Spongebob, and my kids were never allowed to watch the show. I found it grating and just plain obnoxious, and the idea of my kid imitating one of the characters made me shudder. I'm not at all surprised at the results of this study.

 

:iagree:

[Belacqua]

The study was done on 4 year olds.

 

Spongebob is not meant for 4 year olds.

 

We love Spongebob in my house. Cailou on the other hand...*shudder*

 

I'm not familiar with Spongebob, but I can certainly understand why the kids would do ok on a test after seeing Caillou. Caillou is so ineffably boring I'd rather take an exam, too! Or scrub the toilet.

[Laurie]

SpongeBob vs. Caillou

 

commercial tv vs. public television

 

Maybe it doesn't matter, but the study was from the University of Virginia and PBS headquarters are also in Virginia.

 

This study will give the folks at PBS plenty to talk about during their next pledge drive.

[Georgiana Daniels]

:iagree:

Same here. Spongebob is loved in our house. I'm not sure why. But it is. Its a lot better than most programs on tv anyways. Besides we all need a little laughter and humor in our lives.

Cailou grates on my nerves, he whines just way to much for my liking.

 

I'll have to say my youngest has watched Spongebob for a while. She has older sisters. Things like Sesame Street went a long time ago after my first child. LOL She will watch Dora and Bubble Guppies though. Needless to say she is an advanced learner. So really, Spongebob evidently didn't do to much damage to her brain. :tongue_smilie:

 

:iagree:with the bolded. Oy. I do not want my kids acting like him, LOL!

 

We, too, love Sponge Bob, but try to watch in moderation. We always talk about getting "potato brain" from too much TV.

[pfamilygal]

But if your kids watch Caillou (we call him "Cry you" around here), they will be whiny babies who think the world revolves around them. Seriously, when do they show an episode in which Caillou's mom says, "For the love of God, stop whining and go play! The world is not Caillou-centric and you need to get a grip."

 

We love Spongebob. He's imaginative, honest, hard-working and cheerful. All things I like to see in my kiddos.

[BatmansWife]

Well, finally, a study that validates my concerns over this dumb show. We even know adults who watch it. Gotta wonder what it does after many years of viewing. :001_huh: Maybe they will do that study next. ;)

 

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/09/12/watching-spongebob-can-lead-to-learning-problems/

 

Oh puhleeze.... :rolleyes:

 

Not to be snippy....but you have concerns over SpongeBob? Count me in as one of the adults you know who watch it. Oh, the horror! :svengo: I'll tell you what it does after many years of viewing.....nothing. It's just fun and silly (and my inability to spell puhleeze correctly has nothing to do with it :001_smile: ). But, seriously......I think that article is ridiculous. We don't watch it very often; we don't have cable anymore. We do have a couple SB vhs videos. We all like SB. Little dd likes Caillou too.....which I can't stand.

[LeslieAnneLevine]

I thought Sponge Brains were good. Don't they soak everything up?

[BatmansWife]

But if your kids watch Caillou (we call him "Cry you" around here), they will be whiny babies who think the world revolves around them. Seriously, when do they show an episode in which Caillou's mom says, "For the love of God, stop whining and go play! The world is not Caillou-centric and you need to get a grip."

 

We love Spongebob. He's imaginative, honest, hard-working and cheerful. All things I like to see in my kiddos.

 

:iagree: Exactly. I couldn't agree more. His whining drives me up the wall!

[Perry]

The MSNBC article goes into more detail about the study.

 

University of Virginia researchers recruited 60 mostly white and middle- or upper-middle-class 4-year-olds and randomly divided them into three groups. One group watched a 9-minute clip of "SpongeBob SquarePants," a second watched a 9-minute clip of "Caillou," a realistic PBS cartoon about a preschool boy, and the third drew pictures for 9 minutes instead of watching television.

Immediately afterward, the researchers tested what psychologists call “executive function†in the children. “What executive function basically measures is your ability to stay on task, to not be distracted and to persist on task,†Christakis explains.

Turns out the PBS and picture-drawing groups performed equally well on the tests; the SpongeBob group scored significantly worse. Watching a full half-hour fast-paced cartoon show could be even more detrimental, the study authors write.

 

 

....................

 

 

SpongeBob might not have the same negative effect on attention in older children, the authors acknowledge. And, they write, they don’t know how long the negative effects last or what the long-term effects of regularly viewing SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward and the gang might be.

“Maybe the next step is really to try and figure out how long-lasting these effects are,†says Georgetown University psychologist Rachel Barr.

 

I think it's a reasonable study to gather preliminary information. What we really need to know is whether there are long-term effects. But that type of study is much more involved and expensive. It's impossible to get funding for long-term studies without this kind of information first.

 

 

What bothered me most was this:

These days, kids typically start watching television at 4 months of age, and they watch lots of it, Dr. Dimitri Christakis writes in a commentary accompanying the study.

 

:glare:

[Tammyla]

:iagree: I'll take Spongebob over Cry-you any day...

 

SpongeBob vs. Caillou

 

commercial tv vs. public television

 

Maybe it doesn't matter, but the study was from the University of Virginia and PBS headquarters are also in Virginia.

 

This study will give the folks at PBS plenty to talk about during their next pledge drive.

[ElizaG]

It appears this won't be a popular opinion, but I've always hated Spongebob, and my kids were never allowed to watch the show. I found it grating and just plain obnoxious, and the idea of my kid imitating one of the characters made me shudder. I'm not at all surprised at the results of this study.

:iagree: When my children were younger, they watched it a few times when I wasn't around (babysitters, barber's shop, etc.), and they would act crazy and run around jabbering afterward. Maybe it's temporary, but it was pretty disturbing... like they were on some sort of controlled substance. Other children's shows haven't had that effect. And from what I've seen, it's not unusual for preschoolers to watch SpongeBob regularly.

 

Fortunately, my 6 and 7 year olds still consider it a treat when they get to watch "little kid" shows like Diego and Backyardigans. One of the benefits of homeschooling. ;)

[Parrothead]

What? Since when is Cailou "a realistic PBS cartoon about a preschool boy"

 

Realistic my great aunt Fanny!

 

I smell a bit of anti-Spongebob (or at least anti-fast paced cartoons) bias.

[momofkhm]

Additionally, we find it therapeutic for high schoolers following a trigonometry test. :D

 

Had to read this twice before it clicked in my brain.

 

But now :001_smile:

[pfamilygal]

What? Since when is Cailou "a realistic PBS cartoon about a preschool boy"

 

Realistic my great aunt Fanny!

 

I smell a bit of anti-Spongebob (or at least anti-fast paced cartoons) bias.

 

Maybe realistic for a family of overindulgent permissive parents who find the sound of whining to be melodious.

[AuntieM]

Maybe realistic for a family of overindulgent permissive parents who find the sound of whining to be melodious.

 

Ack! A spew-worthy comment! Good thing I put the coffee down or I'd be wiping the screen now.

 

Spot-on, to boot.

Edited September 12, 2011 by AuntieM

[twoxcell]

You know what's funny is for years I have heard how terrible Caillou is. I had never seen it before until this year, and assumed it must be horrific after all the comments I have read. We started getting Sprout back in January and the kids asked to watch it so I out of curiosity we did. I honestly do not get the comments now. We all found it to be a sweet slow paced show and not obnoxious at all. What am I missing here. All of my kids like watching it even my 8 year old, and no one whines after.:confused: We do not watch it daily or even weekly but we have seen quite a few episodes.

[pdalley]

But if your kids watch Caillou (we call him "Cry you" around here), they will be whiny babies who think the world revolves around them. Seriously, when do they show an episode in which Caillou's mom says, "For the love of God, stop whining and go play! The world is not Caillou-centric and you need to get a grip."

 

We love Spongebob. He's imaginative, honest, hard-working and cheerful. All things I like to see in my kiddos.

 

:iagree:

 

I think watching Caillou should be considered torture. I loathe that show.

 

And yes, we do watch Spongebob at this house sometimes. Personally I think DH's love of Clint Eastwood movies damages one more than a happy Sponge. :tongue_smilie:

[BatmansWife]

You know what's funny is for years I have heard how terrible Caillou is. I had never seen it before until this year, and assumed it must be horrific after all the comments I have read. We started getting Sprout back in January and the kids asked to watch it so I out of curiosity we did. I honestly do not get the comments now. We all found it to be a sweet slow paced show and not obnoxious at all. What am I missing here. All of my kids like watching it even my 8 year old, and no one whines after.:confused: We do not watch it daily or even weekly but we have seen quite a few episodes.

 

Two things come to mind:

1. His awful voice.

2. He's bald.

Sorry....but somebody had to say it.

 

:D

[CourtneyMI]

They tested the kids immediately after watching either SpongBob or Calloui (sp). This tells nothing about any long term effects. Another junk study with junk results paid for by the American tax payer to keep nearly useless "social scientists" employed.

 

Thank you! We really need another government funded study to prove this? Seriously? You'd have to live under a rock if you didn't know that plopping your kids in front of the TV is bad for them. Its the same even if they watch "learning shows" all day long. ugh! No wonder we have budget issues.

[twoxcell]

Two things come to mind:

 

1. His awful voice.

 

2. He's bald.

 

Sorry....but somebody had to say it.

 

So we are dissing on a little boy because he is bald and you do not like his voice.:001_huh::lol: Good thing he isn't real.;)

[twoxcell]

For what it is worth I think the study is pretty dumb.

[LatinTea]

I've been away from the PBS early morning thing for so long now that I don't even know what Cailou even is. ;) And I must say that I am very glad to have that load off my shoulders. It was bad enough when they came out with Teletubbies. Ugh, what an insipid show. :glare:

[Dmmetler]

Spongebob is one of the shows that I discourage strongly (actually, I think that applies to basically all of the Nickelodeon and Disney channel networks) so DD doesn't watch it much-and when she has, she's tended to think it's stupid. Getting Discovery Streaming was about the best investment I've made because when DD wants to watch something, she can go to her computer and pick an episode of Magic School Bus, Word Girl, Bill Nye, or so on-and she doesn't feel like she's missing anything.

[twoxcell]

I've been away from the PBS early morning thing for so long now that I don't even know what Cailou even is. ;) And I must say that I am very glad to have that load off my shoulders. It was bad enough when they came out with Teletubbies. Ugh, what an insipid show.

 

Caillou is nothing like Teletubbies.

[astrid]

Additionally, we find it therapeutic for high schoolers following a trigonometry test. :D

 

:lol::iagree:

 

astrid

[LuvingLife]

Uhh they are just now figuring this out? You needed a bunch of specialists to determine that Spongebob leads to Spongy minds?

 

Oh good grief!:eek: