CHILD REACTIONS TO MOVIES

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5289, 30 December 1946, Page 3

CHILD REACTIONS TO MOVIES

AUCKLAND FSYCHOLOGISTS' EXPERIMENTS Probably the first "of their kind to be taken in New Zealand, photographs revaaling children's reactions to films while watching an actual sereening aroused a great deal of interest among Auckland psy.chologists and child welfare oificers recently. ' A feature of the photbgraphs was the eomplete absence of "fear" or "horror" expressions on children's faees. The majority appeared to be intensely interested in the film, and at frequent intervals allowed their emotions to give way to spentaneous laughter and other- expressions of delight. These factors caused one prominent lady psychologist to comment on the possibilities of providing good films for , children's entertainment. She considered there was no point in keeping a child away from films just because of some parental prejudice against pictures. However, it was most essential that such picture entertainment should be specially chosen by responsibie people. The photographs, which were taken under the direction of the Young New Zealanders' Film Club, sponsored by Kerridge-Odeon Theatres, involved about 3000 children attending various Auckland suburban cinemas. The films were carefully selected so as to be examples qf what the olub iiite'nds showing throughout the country in the future. To obtain satisfactory impr essions" of reactions, photographers caught sections of the audience in the flash light at regular intervals during the picture. This procedure was adopted in all the theatres, and later the photographs were compared by men and women especially interested in child welfare. Comments on their observations were summed up by the Auckland District Child Welfare Officer who said: "If the Young New Zealanders' Club intends to give children as much delight as the photographs have shown, I can only say it will be ofi'ering a great service to the country. By public demand films are accepted as a great medium of entertainment, but the formation of the children's cinema club must earn the gratitude of all parents."