Age-Related Aspects of Comprehension and Inference from a Televised Dramatic Narrative

Second, fifth, and eighth graders viewed 1 of 4 edited versions of a commercial action-adventure television program that varied in number of scenes and in degree of organization (temporal vs. random order of scenes). Both recognition and recall measures were used to assess children's memory for central content (plot-essential information portrayed in single scenes), peripheral content (nonessential information), and implicit content (plot-relevant content that is not portrayed explicitly but must be inferred by viewers). Memory for all 3 content categories improved across grade levels, regardless of number and organization of scenes presented. However, all children except second-grade boys remembered implicit content better in the temporally ordered, rather than the randomly ordered, versions. Fifth and eighth graders were significantly more likely than second graders to answer implicit-content items correctly when they correctly recalled the pertinent central content. Results are discussed in terms of characteristics of children's processing of audiovisual narratives and implications for social learning and behavioral effects of televised dramatic materials.