Contact: Whitney Hale

The presentation is free and open to the public.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 21, 2005) -- Joanne Cantor, considered one of the most influential media researchers in understanding children’s fears, will make a presentation on her research explaining children’s emotional responses to frightening mass media.

The lecture titled, “I'll Never Have a Clown in My House: What Long-term Side-effects of Scary Movies Tell Us About Media Effects and Emotional Memory,” is at 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 23, in the William T. Young Library auditorium. The presentation is sponsored by the UK College of Communications and Information Studies.

Cantor, professor emeritus of the University of Wisconsin, is the author of two books, “Mommy, I'm Scared: How TV and Movies Frighten Children and What We Can Do to Protect Them” and “Teddy’s TV Troubles.” Additionally, Cantor has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles, 20 book chapters/reviews, and a dozen popular press articles.

The presentation is free and open to the public. For more information on this event, contact the Department of Communication at (859) 257-3621.