1. Introduction: Effects of Cartoons on Children
Children have become much more
interested in cartoons over many years and it has
become a primary action to some lives. Typically,
children begin watching cartoons on television at
an early age of six months, and by the age two or
three children become enthusiastic viewers. This
has become a problem because too many children
are watching too much television and the shows
that they are watching (even if they are cartoons)
have become violent and addictive. The marketing
of cartoons has become overpowering in theUnited States and so has the
subliminal messaging. The marketing is targeted toward the children to cause
them to want to view the cartoons on a regular basis, but the subliminal messaging
is for the adults’ to target them into enjoying the “cartoons”. This is unfortunate
because children watch the cartoons on the television and they see material that is
not appropriate for their age group. The Children who watch too much cartoons on
television are more likely to have mental and emotional problems, along with brain
and eye injuries and unexpectedly the risk of a physical problem increases.

2. Mental and Psychological Effects of Children’s Cartoons
By: Stevie Hossler
Children have become much more interested in cartoons over many years
and it has become a primary action to some lives. Typically, children begin
watching cartoons on television at an early age of six months, and by the
age two or three children become enthusiastic viewers. This has become a
problem because too many children are watching too much television and the
shows that they are watching (even if they are cartoons) have become
violent and addictive. The marketing of cartoons has become overpowering in
the United States and so has the subliminal messaging. The marketing is
targeted toward the children to cause them to want to view the cartoons on
a regular basis, but the subliminal messaging is for the adults’ to target
them into enjoying the “cartoons”. This is unfortunate because children
watch the cartoons on the television and they see material that is not
appropriate for their age group. The Children who watch too much cartoons
on
television are more likely to have mental and emotional problems, along
with brain and eye injuries and unexpectedly the risk of a physical problem
increases.
Mental and Psychological Effects on Children who Watch Cartoons From
the time children start school to the time that they graduate they are
averaged to spend around 13,000 hours in school. This may seem like an
awful lot of hours to attend
school unless it is compared to the hours a child watches television, which
is nearly 18,000 hours (from the time school is started to the time of
graduation). This comparison is an outrage because of the amount of
television that is watched by a child will have an effect on their brain,
emotions and their sense to feel pain. In a 2000 report on adolescent

3. violence, the U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher stated that more
aggressive behavior in a young
child’s life is caused by
frequently watched entertainment
that incorporates violence in it.
This has become a public health
issue and because of the research
findings; the American
Psychological Association passed a
resolution in February of 1985,informing broadcasters and the public about
the dangers violence on the television has on children. Three major effects
have been proven by psychological research caused by children seeing
violence on television are that the child may become less sensitive to the
pain and suffering of others; children who watch violence do not fear
violence nor are they bothered by violence in general and the children are
more likely to become aggressive or use harmful actions towards others.
When we are born we have the capacity
for motivation, experience, and training, and because of this our minds are
very impressionable. Therefore, our brains’ development is a dynamic mix of
nature and nurture, so it is important to choose a healthy environment for
all children. This means cartoons with violence will be unhealthy for a
child because in general, being interactive with any environment enhances
the development of a successful brain. As a result, a
tremendous amount of childhood involvement with electronic media can limit
social interaction and may obstruct the development of a brain’s social
systems.

4. Television’s Effect on the Brain and Eyes
By: Robert Leu
In December 1997, an episode of the Japanese cartoon “Pocket Monster”
(later renamed “Pokémon” for international distribution) drew worldwide attention
after multiple cases of children suffering seizures after watching the episode were
reported (Warner, 2004). Parents began to wonder how the cartoons their children
watched affected their mental development. While no former study specifically
relating to cartoons has taken place, multiple studies over the years have charted
the impact of television on the minds and eyes of developing children.
Most eye specialists agree that watching television is not a danger to the
eyes, as long as children watch in the right conditions. The room should not be
pitch black, and children should not sit closer than five feet away from the screen.
Sitting in a dark room or closer than five feet will not damage the eyes, but will
result in eye fatigue. (Adams, 1992).
As for the brain, there is scientific
evidence that too much television can be
detrimental to children. The April 2004
issue
of
the
medical
journal Pediatrics published a study done
by
Children’s
Hospital
and
Regional
Medical Center of Seattle, Washington. The
study revealed that children who watched
three to four hours of television daily had a 30 to 40 percent greater risk of
developing attention deficit disorder than children who did not watch television.
While no specific program is directly responsible, Dr. Dimitri Christakis, leader of
the study, speculates that the speed of the images displayed could affect children’s
brains (Today’s Chiropractic, 2004).

5. But does watching television give young children seizures? Yes, and no. A
study released by The New England Journal of Medicine in July 2004 found that
most children who suffered seizures from that December 1997 episode of “Pocket
Monsters” had epilepsy, or some other underlying condition that would have
caused development of seizures, regardless of whether or not they saw that
program (Warner, 2004).

6. Increased Risk in Child Safety
By: Brandon Ybarra
Today
characters
in
many
jumping,
children’s
diving,
cartoon’s
and
falling
you
see
from
cartoon
very
high
heights, then landing without being harmed. Parents seem to
be happy with this as along as the cartoon doesn’t promote
sex or any kind of violence. But, are these type of cartoon really ok for
your
children
episode
of
to
watch?
On
Loony
Tunes
you
every
will
probably see a short clip of Wile E.
Coyote
trying
Runner.
And
in
to
catch
every
clip
the
Road
Wile
E.
Coyote in some shape or form seems to fall off a cliff or simple have one
of his inventions back fire and cause a mass explosion. Yet, he manages to
collect his teeth, dust him self off and get up for another attempt to
catch the Road Runner. Another example of this sort of cartoon would have
to be Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd. In these cartoons it always seems to be
rabbit hunting season and Elmer Fudd can never seem to shoot that “dang ol’
rabbit.” When he tries, Bugs usually finds a way to either bend the gun to
aim at Elmer or to plug it up with some kind of object. But, either way the
guns always fire into Elmer’s face. I could go on about numerous cartoons
that display these kinds of characteristics. But, what I’m trying to get at
is that these sorts of cartoons are displaying false sense of reality upon

7. children. Being able to fall off a tall cliff or being shot with a gun in
the face and walking from these incidents with barely a scratch. At a young
age, this false sense of reality can really affect them. It has been
proving that children on average watch 4 hours or television a day. And
because of this false sense of reality “for every hour of TV viewed per
day,
the
risk
of
injury
rose
by
about
34%
in
the
children
studied.”
(Website) As a child growing up I know I looked up to and wanted to be like
the super heroes in the cartoons I watched. I would imagine that it would
be the same today. That’s why the false sense of reality that
cartoons show may in encourage children to try things that
they see their favorite super hero do. In some cases TV has
also
been
linked
to
causing
seizures.
“Either
high-speed
flashes of light or rapid color changes are thought able to induce seizures
in vulnerable individuals.” (Website) They found this to be the reason for
so many seizures in Japan. “Rapid changing stimuli can play havoc with the
special
cells
in
the
retina
called
rods
and
cones
that
help
the
eye
transmit visual information to the brain.” (Website) So just because the
cartoons your children are watching don’t show sex or violence doesn’t mean
that they are innocent. Because of this false sense of reality children at
a young age can’t tell the difference between cartoons and realism. An
increase of 34% isn’t a small jump when talking about injuries to children.

8. TV’s Effect on Children’s Behavior
By: Ben Wilcox
Television has long been criticized for influencing our children. People
complain that certain TV shows are having negative effects on their children. The
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy of Child and
Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) both feel that TV does influence the behavior of
children as young as one year old.
From their studies, the AACAP states, “Children who view
shows in which violence is very realistic, frequently repeated or
unpunished, are more likely to imitate what they see.” This
speaks to the impressionable mindsets of young children, who
are still learning control of their minds and bodies, and are
likely to mimic what they see, as it seems quite normal to them. The AACAP also
stresses the need for parents to keep a close eye on what their children watch. They
must be there, the AACAP says, to explain that the cartoon character or actor that
was shot has not been harmed, but would actually be seriously injured, or die in
real life. They should also work to tell their children that violent behavior is not the
best course of action to resolve a conflict.
The AAP states “Neuroscientists have shown that environmental
experiences significantly shape the developing brain.” This again adds to the idea
that young children are very impressionable. They paid more attention to the effect
of TV on children in their daily lives. “Higher levels” the AAP states, “of

9. television viewing correlate with lowered academic performance, especially
reading scores.This may be because television substitutes for reading practice,
partially because the compellingly visual nature of the stimulus blocks
development of left-hemisphere language circuitry. A young brain manipulated by
jazzy visual effects cannot divide attention to listen carefully to language.” TV is a
very quick medium. Messages are shot at the viewer as if by an automatic rifle.
Their minds must be equally as quick to interpret the messages, and with such a
“two-minute mind”, many messages are misinterpreted, or confused. When the
child becomes used to receiving information at so fast a rate, they lose interest in
information that is more detailed and methodical, such as the information received
in day-to-day schooling.
Television certainly does affect our children, who find themselves
mesmerized by the bright flashing objects, and rapid assault of messages. It is good
to know that the leaders of our medical professions feel that parents and
supervisors of children are able to help slow the information down, and explain
what the messages really mean, so as to have a more positive effect on our
children.
Visual Subliminal Messaging in Children’s Cartoons
By: Chris Choma

10. Children’s
cartoons
are
packed
with
many
controversial topics such as violence and sexuality. These
messages are not always purposely placed in the cartoon, but
instead are sometimes the result of an oversensitive parent or
a misunderstanding. However, many parents would be
shocked to learn that cartoon makers are intentionally brainwashing their children
by secretly placing messages never to be deciphered by the conscious mind, but
instead propagating the subconscious, into behaving a certain way.
This practice is known as subliminal messaging and it is certainly nothing
new to mass media. Ever since the advent of television and radio, subliminal
messaging has had a place in both advertising and programming. But what is
subliminal messaging? It is defined by the American Heritage Dictionary as,
“Below the threshold of conscious perception; inadequate to produce conscious
awareness but able to evoke a response” (AHD, 1352). What this means in the
world of mass media is advertisers and programmers are slipping in messages that
you act upon and don’t even realize that you are doing it. And they are also doing
it to children. Although there is no official law that makes subliminal messages
illegal, it is widely frowned upon by the Federal Communications Council
(FCC). Stiff fines and penalties including revocation of a station’s broadcasting
license can arise if a station knowingly airs anything containing a subliminal
message. This is was not always the case as proven by the FCC in the 1950’s
when legislation that was to forbid subliminal messages was overturned. The FCC
referred to Section 326 of the Communications Act stating, “ The FCC is
prohibited from censoring broadcast material, including advertising.” It wasn’t
until 1958, when the National Association of Broadcasters pressured the FCC to
make subliminal messages illegal, that the FCC finally complied by revising its
policies on the matter. The new code states: Any technique whereby an attempt is
made to convey information to the listener by transmitted messages below the
threshold of normal awareness is prohibited (FCC Information Bulletin 7). This

11. law, however, only limits the use of auditory subliminal messaging. There has
never been any legislation passed restricting the use of visual coercement of the
subconscious, which remains legal today.
Many acts of accused subliminal
messaging are easily explained by a simple
coincidence. Such as the infamous Disney
stories, when in the 1990’s, conservative
Christian groups such as the American Life
League accused the children’s entertainment
giant of placing subliminal messages of a sexual nature in its films. In the
movie, The Lion King, the word S-E-X is spelled out by flying dust as Simba plops
on the ground. There was also the incidence of a phallic symbol being placed on
the cover of The Little Mermaid’s videotape box. While these can be explained as
an accident or a coincidence that just slipped by, other acts of subliminal
messaging are purely intentional.
Ken Sobel, a business man from New York, became aware of subliminal
messages in cartoons in the 1980’s while viewing a videotaped episode of Alf, the
animated series, he noticed a glitch in the middle of a battle scene. Upon further
review, he was able freeze the tape on the exact frame that caused the glitch. He
was instantly stunned at what he saw. There, on the screen, was
the image of an American flag in the background, the statue of
liberty in front of that, and diagonally across the screen in large
block letters was the word A-M-E-R-I-C-A. This image was present for only one
frame, or 1/30th of a second. This was brought to the attention of NBC Studios
which originally aired the broadcast. Although NBC, as well as ABC and CBS,
has a policy prohibiting the use of subliminal messages, it does not actively screen
its shows for such content. NBC launched its own investigation on the incident
and reported that while in production at Korumi Studios in Japan, where the
cartoon was made, animators admitted to intentionally placing the image as well as

12. others within their cartoons. Who Framed Roger Rabbit? was also at the center of
controversy after it was released on home video. In a scene where Jessica Rabbit
is tossed out of the car, her legs spread and for about four frames, there is her
exposed genitalia in full detail. The animator responsible for this scene admitted to
what he had done, claiming: “I thought no one would notice.”
The use of subliminal messages such as these
has been almost eliminated because technology has
advanced to where home viewers are now able to
search what they are watching frame by frame. Animators are now cautious not to
put such blatant images in cartoons. Whether or not subliminal messages still exist
is known only by those who put them there. Since we are not meant to know, will
we ever know if we and our children are being brainwashed?
Auditory Subliminal Messaging in Children’s Cartoons
By: Shawnte Ray
The lessons that the media conveys to those parts
of the mind without conscious perception through the
cartoons that people watch, are referred to as subliminal
messages.
“If that’s the Democraitc way, I am voting
Republican.” This was said by Meowth in an episode of “Pokemon” that aired on
Monday, October 11th, 2004 at 4:00 p.m. When children watch cartoons, they
always pay attention to what is being said. In a child’s subconscious mind, he or
she is exposed to auditory subliminal messages that they may never discover, but
they will eventually become a part of their lives. Not all auditory subliminal
messaging is negative. However, most of these messages have a negative effect on
children. The interesting thing about the situation is that these messages are most
common in popular cartoons.

13. SpongeBob Squarepants has been on the air since 1999 on
Nickelodeon. Today, it still remains popular and new
episodes are still being created. It is now 2004 and people
are speaking out against the messages that they found hidden
in a number of episodes. The main allegation against
SpongeBob Squarepants is its use of metaphors in place of profanity. When he is
disappointed, SpongeBob will often yell out “Tartar Sauce”. To an adult ear, that
phrase may sound like it is intended to represent a curse word.
Also belonging to the Nickelodeon station is “Rugrats”. It has been on the
air since 1991. The show is often seen as prurient or “sex driven”. The last name
of the main characters is “Pickles” which is a euphemism for the male
genitalia. Lou Pickles usually calls his grandson, Tommy Pickles by the name
“sprout”. It has been argued that this nickname is also a
euphemism for the male genitalia as well. Angelica Pickles
represents the S&M of “Rugrats” because constantly
physically and verbally abuses the babies. Lesbianism is also
portrayed in this cartoon. Phil and Lil’s mom, Betty Deville is what we would call
a “Bull Dyke” because she wears a bandana, hangs out with feminine women, yells
a lot, and loves sports.
When parents choose what cartoons to let their
children watch, they want to make sure that these
cartoons are appropriate for general audiences. If
a parent was to find profane or sexual language in
the content of a cartoon, they wouldn’t allow their children to watch that cartoon
anymore. People who create popular cartoons are careful to not allow any vulgar
content to be incorporated into their cartoons. However, every cartoon can’t be
made perfectly safe for viewing by children and some of the verbal content may be
mistaken for auditory subliminal messages.

14. Marketing Practices of Companies that produce Children’s Cartoons
By: Divia Nelson
Ask any company today what is one of the best ways to
sell a product? Many will respond, make it accessible
to children.
Surprise by this response? Well, you shouldn’t be.
“Nearly 2 billion dollars is roughly spent on advertising to young consumers in
America alone. Nearly 30 billion dollars are racked in annually from children 4 to
12 years of age and the numbers get even higher with age”(Shah 1). Children are
no longer viewed as vulnerable human beings that need to be nurtured. Nowadays,
companies are increasingly viewing kids through an economic lens. This is
because children are easy to take advantage of. A child will see an item that they
want and will throw a complete tantrum until their parents give up and purchase it.
This is a marketing company’s dream come true.
Children tend to trust adults even when they shouldn’t. So, when a
spokesperson for a product encourages the child to purchase a product, they will.
Marketers are fully aware of this piece of information and take complete advantage
of it. “Advertising at its best is making people feel that without this product, you’re
a loser” says Nancy Shalek, president of Shalek Agency. Kids are very sensitive to
that. If you tell them to buy something, they are resistant. But if you tell them that
they’ll be a dork if they don’t, you’ve got their attention.” Marketing Companies
can open up emotional vulnerabilities, and it’s very easy to
do with kids because they are emotionally vulnerable.
Cartoon companies are the most
common companies that are tapping
into this new trend. It is literally
impossible to walk
into any store today and not see any
licensed cartoon merchandise. From playing cards to toothpaste, these companies
have covered every angle possible. By doing this it makes it impossible for a child
to walk into a store and not want a specific item. Cartoon companies are also

15. known to advertise their object in between television shows. The commercials are
designed to have the child infatuated with the object and wanting it as soon as
possible. With such devises these companies are using today, it is quite
understandable why these companies bring in billions of dollars a year.

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