ArticleDevelopmental science2026
Why Does Fantasy in Screen Media Deplete Children's Executive Function?
Article in Developmental science, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Executive Function Costs of Fantastical Interference in Narrative Comprehension: A Response to Lillard's (2026) Commentary.Developmental science · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
1 author.
Funding
Abstract
In response to Hinten et al.'s (2025) meta-analysis of the impact of fantasy and fast pacing in screen media on young children, I present an information processing model in effort to explain the fantasy effect. Drawing on important work by Lang, I discuss how media might be processed, and why fantasy events could be particularly problematic. In essence, they may overload the cognitive system, which is trying to make sense of impossible events without the benefit of existing schemas that would reduce cognitive load. SUMMARY: We need better theory to guide research on why fantasy impairs executive function. Some ideas are provided here.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.