In fact, new research suggests that it's not just the number, but the nature of violent scenes in a show that puts children at risk. Children under 7 are most at risk because they have trouble distinguishing between reality and fantasy. That's when kids are forming their beliefs about aggression, notes James Garbarino, Ph.D., codirector of the Family Life Development Center at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Indeed, preschoolers who watched violent cartoons were more likely to hit their playmates, argue, disobey rules, and leave tasks unfinished, one study at Pennsylvania State University in University Park found. They also showed less patience than those who watched nonviolent programs.
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