Studies have shown that superheroes are very popular among preschool boys, but research on the effect of exposure to superhero media and toys is limited. Superheroes frequently use aggression to defend others, and certain characteristics of superheroes encourage wishful identification among boys. However, it is unknown whether superhero exposure and identification is associated with aggression, prosocial behaviors, or behaviors with the purpose of defending others. Parental active mediation of media (i.e discussions of media content) can reduce the negative effects of aggressive content by modifying children’s perceptions of aggression. This study aimed to examine the associations between superhero exposure/identification and aggressive, prosocial, and defending behavior in preschool boys and to examine whether parental active mediation of television content moderates these associations. Sixty-four parents of preschool boys (mean age = 60.6 months) completed measures of their child’s superhero identification/exposure, their own active mediation, and their child’s aggressive and prosocial behaviors. Results revealed that superhero exposure and identification was associated with decreased prosocial behavior and increased verbal aggression. These associations were not moderated by active parental mediation. Additionally, low levels of parental mediation, combined with high levels of superhero identification/exposure were positively correlated with aggressive defending behaviors. Future research should examine gender and age differences in the associations between superhero exposure and behavior. Additionally, questions remain about the differential effects of discussing media content with preschoolers, as this form of mediation may be less effective for certain types of programs during the preschool years.
Additional keywords: early childhoo
