Prior research has documented the relationship between empathy and prosocial behavior in children (e.g., Batson, 1987, 1991; Eisenberg et al., 1987; Radke-Yarrow et al., 1983; Strayer & Roberts, 1989), as well as a relationship between empathy and perceived similarity (Håkansson & Montgomery, 2003; Miller et al., 2011). Additionally, research has also provided evidence for the mediating effect of perceived similarity on the relationship between empathy and prosocial behavior in adults (Batson et al., 1981; Gaertner & Dovidio, 1977; Krebs, 1975), but few studies have examined these relationships in children (Panofsky, 1976), and perhaps none have examined these relationships in regard to media characters. The purpose of the current study was to assess the extent to which children’s feelings of similarity or difference to media characters affected children’s cognitive empathy and theory of mind abilities. Additionally, the current study examined whether children’s predictions of prosociality would be affected by perceived similarity. Thirty-two 4-6 year old children participated in an approximately 30 min. Zoom interview in which children created two characters: one character similar to the child and one character different from the child based on gender, skin tone, and other outward physical aspects. The created characters were inserted into two real-apparent emotion theory of mind stories that assessed children’s cognitive empathy and theory of mind abilities. Analyses indicated that children’s cognitive empathy and theory of mind abilities did not differ depending on which character the child was reasoning about. Additionally, children did not attribute significantly less prosocial behavior to the different character. Findings are discussed in terms of mechanistic processes that may play a role in perceived similarity and its differential effects on learning and reasoning abilities during early childhood.

Interactive media plays a central role in children's lives, however limited research has examined the impact of interactive media on children's cognitive development. Past research has suggested that exercise and video game play can improve executive functioning (EF) skills in both the short and long term. EF is a cluster of higher order cognitive skills, including selective attention and inhibition, which work together to coordinate higher order functioning. Interventions that improve EF are of interest based on the relationship between these skills and academic outcomes. Acute EF change in 155 7- to 12-year-olds was assessed after participation in a 20-minute activity session. The between-subjects design had four conditions: an exergame, sedentary video game, exercise and non-playing control. The varied level of physical activity and cognitive engagement were used to examine if it was the nature of the activity, such as physical movement, or cognitive engagement in an enjoyable activity that drove changes in EF. An accelerometer and heart rate monitor were used to measure the intensity of energy expenditure, an expected mediator.

Three age-appropriate tasks (i.e. stroop, go/no-go and flanker) measured EF pre- and post-activity, however children had ceiling effects on both the stroop and go/no-go task. Children in all conditions improved from pre- to posttest on the flanker task as well as many of the sub trials on the flanker task; however, the exergame group improved more than the other three conditions from pre- to posttest on the two sub trials that required the highest level of inhibition skills. In addition, both the exergame and the sedentary video game groups had the largest changes from pre- to posttest on the block of the flanker task that required switching between rules. The findings revealed different patterns between accuracy and reaction times, which reflects differences in inhibitory processes. Energy expenditure was not a mediator of EF outcomes. Prior video game experience was related to EF change in that those with more video game experience were faster, but not necessarily more accurate. Gender differences reflected the same pattern where boys became faster, but not more accurate. Girls were more accurate, but not faster. Findings are discussed in terms implications for the relationship between exergame play and cognitive benefits for children.