Study: SpongeBob Spoils Kids' Attention Span

[Beautiful End]

What's with these studies? They're all researching dumb stuff! What's next? A study on how kids prefer cookies over veggies?

SpongeBob is not meant to teach your kid about quantum science! It's a cartoon, meant to distract him and occasionally make him laugh, that's it. it's supposed to be silly, nonsense and easy to follow. Check, check and check. Not every single show needs to be a Discovery Channel documentary.

Oh, wait! This just in! Two and a Half Men is...*REMOVES GLASSES DRAMATICALLY*...Educational! Stop the presses! This could change the world as we know it! Madness!!

 

[scorptatious]

Isn't Spongebob TV-Y7 here in America? As in it is meant for children 7 and up? I'm pretty sure putting 4-year olds in front of a TV screen with Spongebob on isn't going to bring positive results.

 

[an874]

Putting aside the people that use tv, video games etc., as scapegoats and fodder to get their name out, there are people that really believe that all this stuff is really bad for their kids. You know what? While these activities are not inherently good for you NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO BE TANGIBLY GOOD FOR YOU. Holy shit, these are kids let them have their childhood. In spite of the rosy memories that people may have of their childhoods, even the most fortunate kid could have periods of great stress in their lives (awkward phases, periods where they're teased a lot), and they need some catharsis in order to deal with it in a healthy way and yes part of that is taking a break from reality. This story is about opportunists scaring overprotective parents so that they have something to write about. If any parents see this, please watch this for balance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo2Y4PzTCOc&list=FLkiZeHZcYn9zObxm3XPUz0Q&index=20

 

[Elementlmage]

"I wouldn't advise watching such shows on the way to school or any time they're expected to pay attention and learn,"

Or maybe, just maybe, school could actually be assed to be interesting and entertaining? I know, what a radical idea!

Hmm... I wonder if they have a pod cast, brb

Oh HELL yes! Well, even though you are going to cringe when you read the following, yes, this is from NPR:

Transcript and Article:

http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2011/09/12/boys-school-games

Live Recording:

http://www.wbur.org/media-player?url=http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2011/09/12/boys-school-games&title=Could+Video+Games+%26%238216%3BRe-engage+Boys+In+Learning%3F%26%238217%3B&segment=boys-school-games&pubdate=2011-09-12&source=hereandnow

Yeah, I just happened to be listening to NPR on the way to get a gas cap and some Mt Dew(don't read too much into that), when lordy lordy, NPR had a SANE person on to talk about reforming schools to be more engaging and embracing different styles of teaching and learning. And one of the points she brought up was the use of video games to encourage tangential learning! ZOMGWTFBBQHAX!!!!

Here's the old Tangential Learning EC since the new one hasn't been re-upped yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN0qRKjfX3s

Anyway, listen and be amazed!

 

[FamoFunk]

Maybe those kids just really wanted those damn Marsh mallows, even if they only get two in the end.
Marsh Mallows are good.

 

[Johnson McGee]

This seems like a very pointless study. Of course TV will acutely reduce attention span, anything stimulating would. It would be way more useful to know if it has any lasting effects on a child's ability to learn and pay attention. Furthermore, they didn't separate whether Spongebob was making the kids less attentive or the other activities were making them more so.

 

[Platypus540]

Or maybe -wait for it- little kids are really impatient?

Shocker, I know.

 

[Platypus540]

Watching Sponge Bob always made me suicidal, so I never had that trouble.

um... what?

 

[Cid Silverwing]

Patience =/= attention span.

This.

Not that we really needed another reason to hate on SpongeBob, what with it being the scourge of all the GOOD toons on Nickelodeon.

I have a friend who on multiple occasions practically cried into my avatar's shoulder for how SpongeBob cancelled all his favorite shows. And don't get me started on on how fucking humiliating it is to hear the Norwegian actor for Disney's Aladdin (known for his action roles) play SpongeBob (by all rights a fucking retard) after the first actor (known for looney roles like Ickiss from "Aaahhh! Real Monsters!") quit somewhere between the seasons.

 

[Nargleblarg]

Or maybe -wait for it- little kids are really impatient?

Shocker, I know.

You lie!!!! how dare you say such blasphemy!!

Next you will say that being a child 2 minutes feels like a really long time and they are hungry now.

Also as a note that by going for the food without wanting help shows signs of independence on the part of the child.

 

[ultimateownage]

Damn you, Science! Damn yoooooouuuuuuuuu!

 

[ultimateownage]

Patience =/= attention span.

This.

Not that we really needed another reason to hate on SpongeBob, what with it being the scourge of all the GOOD toons on Nickelodeon.

I have a friend who on multiple occasions practically cried into my avatar's shoulder for how SpongeBob cancelled all his favorite shows. And don't get me started on on how fucking humiliating it is to hear the Norwegian actor for Disney's Aladdin (known for his action roles) play SpongeBob (by all rights a fucking retard) after the first actor (known for looney roles like Ickiss from "Aaahhh! Real Monsters!") quit somewhere between the seasons.

Guess what, that voice actor chose to take the job! That's what they do, they take roles in exchange for currency! I don't see how him doing his job makes you humiliated.

I don't see why people consider hating a children's TV show a worthwhile use of their time and effort.

 

[Woodsey]

Watching Sponge Bob always made me suicidal, so I never had that trouble.

um... what?

It was/is fucking retarded.

 

[neonsword13-ops]

Science has discovered that kids like marshmallows!

Science has also proven that marshmallows are better between chocolate and graham crackers.

Besides, this attention-span damping doesn't belong to Spaonge Bob. It belongs to Fanboy and Chumchum.
Watch this and tell me you didn't loses a couple braincells. Ignore the lyrics if you wish.

 

[Greni]

"I wouldn't advise watching such shows on the way to school or any time they're expected to pay attention and learn,"

Or maybe, just maybe, school could actually be assed to be interesting and entertaining? I know, what a radical idea!

This. A hundred times this.

 

[Erana]

What...?
First off, they're jumping to conclusions and attempting the whole, Correlation=causation thing that I thought the general population understood to be false.

That being said, the kids just watched a fun, energetic show. Why wouldn't they be pumped and more eager to get on with things?
I bet we'd get similar results with adults after making them watch some big Soccer tournament or something.

 

[CarbonEagle]

I would like to see them do this same study but use sports instead. Im sure the results would be similar. Then we can all cry that school is reducing attention span by having a sports program
Or what if they all put the kids in the same room and gave each a bell. As soon as one rang it and ate the marshmellows the rest would follow suit. Now social interaction is evil and will rot your soul!
I find only one solution. If you don't have kids, you cant mess them up so lets all get working on a sterility virus to save the world! The Half Life Combine solved all our world problems!

 

[Cheezeypoofs]

Science has discovered that kids like marshmallows!

Science has also proven that marshmallows are better between chocolate and graham crackers.

Besides, this attention-span damping doesn't belong to Spaonge Bob. It belongs to Fanboy and Chumchum.
Watch this and tell me you didn't loses a couple braincells. Ignore the lyrics if you wish.

Holy sweet God in Heaven. I need a drink after that one.

OT: 4 year-olds have attention spans? They're still at the age when everything around is practically new. A giggling sponge will always have more appeal to them than say an empty white-walled room with a crayon and some paper

 

[-Dragmire-]

Science has discovered that kids like marshmallows!

Science has also proven that marshmallows are better between chocolate and graham crackers.

Besides, this attention-span damping doesn't belong to Spaonge Bob. It belongs to Fanboy and Chumchum.
Watch this and tell me you didn't loses a couple braincells. Ignore the lyrics if you wish.

....... IQ... dropping.... ow.

I think more people should scar their kids with Ren and Stimpy, you know, like me.

I did find it rather painful being trapped in a car with a kid, a TV/dvd player, the SpongeBob movie and no headphones. The next few hours out of the car my attention was completely screwed trying to find anything to empty the sound pollution that had entered my head and refused to come out.

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

Maybe they shouldn't be sitting around watching TV all day anyway?