Malaysian Animated TV Series Upin & Ipin Through Piaget’s Cognitive Development

Abstract

Malaysia‘s  animated TV series,  Upin  &  Ipin is one of the biggest names  when it comes to the  animation  industry.  Upin  &  Ipin‘s  ability  to  attract  a  large  number  of  local  and international fans has inspired an investigation into the internal workings of the elements that contribute to its success. This research aims to identify the content development of the Upin & Ipin series in association with notions of child psychology. By framing Piaget‘s Theory of Cognitive  Development,  this  research  explores  the  development  of  a  child‘s  psychology  in efforts  to  formulate  animation  content  best  suited  for  a  young  viewership.  The  research identifies with young children below the age of twelve with regards to their preference and interests  through  observation  and  questionnaire  survey.  Furthermore,  this  research  paper debates  Livingstone  (2000)  who  disagrees  with  Davies‘s  (1989)  view  that  television  is  an important  medium  for  children.  Although  they  use  different  media  in  their  everyday  life, television  remains  the  most  popular  medium  and  occupies  a  significant  proportion  of children‘s  time.  And  up  until  2003,  Kaiser  Family  Foundation  has  revealed  the  how‘s  and why‘s of children watching television. Finally, this research paper has discussed the content and type of stories that psychologically impact and appeal to children.