TV: The Idiot Box Suggested Approach

Decision Area
Diverting children from TV viewing to outdoor activities
Decision problem to Research problem:
Apply Interaction process and question the user (existing knowledge or literature could be
drawn) to convert decision problem to research problem. (sample flow)
Why?
Excessive television viewing is becoming increasingly regularized in today's society.
Children have unlimited access to TV. A study found that 93% of children who live in urban
areas have regular access to television and watch it for an average of three hours a day. This
is at least 50% more than the time spent on any other out-of-school activity, including
homework, being with friends, or reading.
Psychiatrists say that TV viewing is increasing childhood aggression . This occurs because
television programming often depicts violence that is perpetrated by characters that are
attractive and can be rewarded by the acts of violence.
TV viewing takes away the time that children need to develop important skills like language,
creativity, motor, and social skills.
etc.
Arent there positive sides
Some TV shows can educate, inform and inspire. They can complement to school learning.
Also, a little entertainment TV can be a source of relief to kids who are stressed or are in
pain.
etc.
So,
But there is no control. They spend too much time and they are not exercising and spending
sufficient time on other activities.

Framework for arriving at Research objectives

Influences

Outdoor
activities

Positive behaviour

Negative behaviour

Perceptions/ reality

Perceptions/ reality

Availability
and access
Conv/ cost

TV

Perceptions/ reality

Perceptions/ reality

Control

Information needs
Research Objectives
Influence of TV and outdoor activities on the behaviour of children (perceptions and
reality).
Availability and access to TV and outdoor activities
Research Questions

TV viewing
o
How many hours
o
Which programmes children watch

Educational

Movies

Cartoons
o
When do the children watch

After school

While eating

After homework
o
Etc

Parents role
o
Do they permit them to watch TV
o
If so which programmes
o
Alone or under supervision
o
Control over their watching
o
etc

Childrens behaviour post TV viewing

o
Do children discuss about TV programmes after the show
o
Do children imitate TV characters
o
What type of acts/ characters they imitate
o
etc

Childrens behaviour - General

o
Studious
o
Play games
o
Aggressive
Experts views about TV viewing
Outdoor facilities
o
What facilities are available
o
Timings for availing the facilities
o
School/ tuition timing
Safety issues for outdoor activities
o Is it safe to send children out

o Perception of injuries
Type of information:

Likely to lead to socially desirable responses (except last three sets)

Knowledge based questions

Research Design:
For socially desirable information
o Projective Techniques TAT

Write a story about the picture.

o This could be supplemented by some open ended

questions.

For knowledge based questions

o Survey Questions for parents can be added along
with the open ended questions
o Discussion with experts about TV viewing
o Also survey school teachers to understand influence of TV on children behavior
in school

Sample:
Parents: Quota sample covering the following groups (30 respondents in each group)
6-10 years

Children aged
10-15 years

Both parents working

Only one parent working
Judgmental sample for Experts and school teachers
Analysis
Tabulate data as per the research objective framework, using content analysis for qualitative
data and frequency count for quantitative data.
Similarly, experts and school teachers views tabulated as per research objective framework.
Identify the differences between reality and perceptions to see whether the issue is with the
TV or with the leniency of the parents.