The first myth is that television encourages mental and physical passivity. Research reveals a that great deal of mental activity takes place while viewing, some in reaction to programming and the rest in reaction to. elements in the environment. In his essay on whether television stimulates or stultifies children, psychologist Howard Gardner (1982) argues that there is little if any support for the view that the child is a passive victim of television. Gardner says that, on the other hand, there is a great deal of evidence that the children are active transformers of what they see on television. He concludes that during the early childhood years, television is a great stimulator.