Effects of eco-animations on nine and twelve year old children's environmental conceptions: How WALL-E changed young spectators' views of earth and environmental protection

摘要

This study investigates changes in children's environmental conceptions through their experience with the eco-animation WALL-E. The study uses an analytical framework informed by Social Representations Theory, accompanied with a word association approach to collect data. A total of 84 children (35 nine-year olds and 49 twelve-year olds) participated in the study. The animation reinforced both the idea of a polluted planet and the idea of the planet as an agent of life. The 9-year old participants expressed a more relational view of humans and nature than the 12-year olds. The process of anchoring new information to preexisting conceptual frameworks and the environmental views promoted through education are discussed as possible explanations of the ways participants interpret and assimilate environmental messages communicated by eco-animations.