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In this article, Fallon talks about the differences surrounding people who were and were not allowed to watch Spongebob Squarepants while growing up.
Spongebob Psychology: the differences between those who were (and Weren't) allowed to watch Spongebob squarepants While Growing up
Spongebob Psychology: the differences between those who were (and Weren't) allowed to watch Spongebob squarepants While Growing up
By Fallon Rosebraugh
By Fallon Rosebraugh
For years, a line has divided and separated childhoods: those who were allowed to watch Spongebob Squarepants and those who were raised under… stricter conditions. Few cartoons have sparked as much debate among parents as Spongebob Squarepants. Since the show's initial release in 1999, the show has been both celebrated for its humor and criticized for its supposed impact on young minds. For many, whether or not they were allowed to watch Spongebob when they were younger became a defining element of their childhoods– shaping their social interactions and even personality development.
Photo by Nickelodeon
For those who grew up watching Spongebob, the show was a staple of humor, imagination, and absurdity. It was fast-paced, colorful, and full of comedic aspects– perfect for engaging a child's developing brain. Studies suggest that exposure to nonsensical humor and surreal media can enhance creativity in children– Spongebob’s bizarre storylines require kids to engage in abstract thinking. Business Name Generator did a study to see which children's TV shows have the best vocabulary and, according to the results, Spongebob Squarepants was the show with the richest vocabulary. Not only has Spongebob influenced children's creativity and enhanced their vocabulary– but it has also created a foundation of inside jokes among children who watched the show. As silly as it sounds, quotes like, “Is mayonnaise an instrument?” and “I’m ready! I’m ready!” have fostered social connections– and have even helped some children develop a sense of belonging among their peers.
On the other hand, many parents banned Spongebob Squarepants from their households– meaning many children missed out on experiencing and enjoying the show while growing up. A well-known study conducted in 2011 and run by Pediatrics claimed that "four-year-olds who watched 9 minutes of SpongeBob performed worse on executive function tests than peers who watched 9 minutes of Caillou, a slower-paced, more realistic PBS cartoon about a preschool-aged boy, and a peer group that spent 9 minutes drawing.” Some parents also found Spongebob’s humor to be crude or inappropriate. Those who were not allowed to watch the show often grew up in more structured households with a greater emphasis on rule-following– and maybe even a more overprotective environment. Those who were allowed to watch and enjoy the show tend to have a strong sense of humor. They might also have a slightly shorter attention span but a high level of creativity and abstract thinking.
Photo by Nickelodeon
Photo by Nickelodeon
At the end of the day, Spongebob Squarepants was just a cartoon– but the divide between those who watched it and those who didn't more so represents larger discussions in psychology about parenting and the effects of media. So, whether people were Spongebob enjoyers– or if PBS Kids was more their forte, the way individuals consumed media as children has undoubtedly shaped how they see and interact with the world today.
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