Faezeh Taghipour, Sepehr Khalaji, Asieh Moeini

Abstract

This study examined the cultural component of popular children’s animations. Comparative method of qualitative content analysis was performed. The animations to be analyzed include 15 episodes of  the an American animated television series “SpongeBob Square Pants” which was produced by Nickelodeon company. The results were classified into five main groups based on the research questions including: 1- values ( social values, religious values and economic values), 2- norms ( legal behavior, loving behavior, respect for others, punished violators respect to the customs , law enforcement and compliance with other conditions), 3-anti-norms (violence, disrespect for others, immoral behavior, illegal behavior, codes of behavior, behavior contrary to the customs, disregard for the feelings of others, lack of accountability and inattention to religious behavior, unlike the others), 4- symbols (verbal and non- verbal symbols) and 5- identity (professional identity, national identity, cultural identity, civilizational identity and ethnic identity). The study concluded that social, religious and economic values and legal norms provided by these series are involved in the socialization of audience and introduction of the established social behavior patterns.

Keywords: Value, Animation, SpongeBob, Symbol, The norm, Identity