Developing a sense of reality

Television, video games, and other media often represent the world in ways that concern us. We worry that young children may copy what they see on cartoons, that older children may be influenced by the sexual and violent images they see, and that adults may be influenced by stereotyped images. While there is cause for concern, there is also evidence that even children are able to reasonably interpret much of what they see. On the other hand even adults can be influenced by television without being aware of that influence. Understanding the complex psychological mechanisms that people use when watching television can help families know what to worry about and what to do about it. This video is part 2 of 5 in the The Psychology of Television Realism series.