Fear in Front of the Screen

Experiencing fear in front of the screen is a common phenomenon in childhood, and a focus of public concern. In this innovative book, this universal experience is investigated in depth via two complementary studies: a retrospective study of experiences and a study of current nightmares by watching television of 510 children in five countries.

Maya Götz, Dr. phil, is Head of the International Central Institute for Youth and Educational Television (IZI) at the Bayerischer Rundfunk (Bavarian Broadcasting Corp.), Munich, Germany, and of the PRIX JEUNESSE Foundation. Her main field of work is research in the area of "children/youth and television" and gender-specific reception research. She has conducted over 100 formative studies to foster quality in current TV programmes. Dafna Lemish is an Israeli media researcher in the fields of children, youth and leisure culture. She currently serves as Associate Dean for Programs at Rutgers School of Communication and Information. She is the author of numerous books and the founding editor of Journal of Children and Media. Andrea Holler is Scientific Editor at the International Central Institute for Youth and Educational Television (IZI), Munich, Germany

Introduction The Seven Elements of FearImpacts and Coping Strategies with the Fear What Frightens Pre-schoolers From Bambi to the SimpsonsWhat is Frightening in Middle Childhood? From Jaws to newsWhat Frightens Pre-teens and Teenagers From Chucky to Sixth SenseThe Eight Themes of NightmaresThrill: When Fear Becomes Fun Gender Differences in Fear ExperiencesCulture Differences in Fear Experiences Conclusions and Implications for the Wellbeing of Children References Appendices: A. Fear and Thrill Experiences from TV: Sample and Method of a Retrospective Study: B. Children's Nightmares from TV: Sample and Method Index: Programs Cited