...Effects of TV Watching on a Child's Development 8/9/2012 Effects of TV Watching on a Child's Development Introduction A child sitting in with a remote in front of a television set could watch anything from cartoons to programs with murders and sexual content that is not suitable for young minds. On the other hand, TV has its potential benefits that come from viewing some shows. The kids can get to learn positive aspects of social behavior such as sharing and cooperation, TV also opens up a new world for kids, giving them a chance to travel the globe, learn about different traditions and cultures and expose them to ideas they may never encounter in their own community. However, TV watching also has some negative health effects on a child's development such as on sexuality, aggressive behavior and academic performance. This paper seeks to carry out the following: discuss and analyze both the positive and negative effects of TV watching on a young child’s development, point out a few ways to counter the negative effects. Positive Effects of TV Watching on a Child’s Development Children learn a lot about the world through television viewing. Teachers can use some instructive TV programs to promote reading instructions for their students. Some curriculum s in schools incorporate studying of movies, plays or other TV programs. In view of enabling children learning these subjects to develop critical thinking, teachers advise them to watch certain TV shows, dissect their plots...
Words: 949 - Pages: 4
...The effects of the small screen on child’s mind I will do a review of a book I really enjoyed reding.The title of the book capture my attention when I entred in the library. It is called “ The effects of the small screen on child’s mind”.It is written by Gheorghe Virgiliu, Nicoleta Criveanu and Andrei Dragulinescu.Published by Prodromos Association for Family and Child Protection in 2007. I will present very important material, based on extensive research, which can be understood how serious the effects of a small screen can be on a child’s mind. Investigations in recent years have concluded that watching TV and computers damage brain development and brain functions. This is because the cortical activity when we sit in front of the screen is completely different from that normally encountered in people's lives. The few hours spent by children watching television and computers daily, from the earliest years of life will influence how the brain will respond to real-world challenges and how will process information. As a result young minds come to be dependent on the state of passivity, of inattention, and denying, which was induced daily by hours through viewing. The left hemispheric brain, whose activity is inhibited when watching TV, do not develop normally which will make the young men to be deficient in terms of logical and analytical thinking, in speech, in the construction phase, in writing and reading processes carried out in areas of that hemisphere. The most...
Words: 540 - Pages: 3
...questions its educational values. Currently as of June 19th, not a single article was found exposing about the negative aspects of Pororo. Mothers turn on Pororo for their kids, in the hope that it will have educational benefits. However, contrary to many mothers’ belief, Pororo can have some negative effects on children’s education in terms of intellectual, physical/social, and emotional development. First of all, Pororo can have a negative effect on a child’s intellectual development. Watching TV affects children’s brain activity to become passive towards learning. Studies show that watching TV reduces alpha waves, which is associated with relaxed meditative states. This creates “mind fog” state which means people feel it’s harder to concentrate and stay focused, like daydreaming (Carmichael). Thus if children watch the Pororo animation for a long time, their mind will be at a mental fog state which will make them harder to focus. This will lead to shortened attention span and even to attention disorder. There are already 1 numerous studies proving the link between TV addiction and ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. According to research, one hour increase in TV watching increases the probability of developing ADHD by 10% (qtd. in Song). ADHD...
Words: 1820 - Pages: 8
...TV & Children: Television, Health and Development How does television affect the health of our children? Children from birth to age five are actively growing, learning and developing habits that will shape their physical and emotional health. Because this time period is so crucial to the development of a child’s body and brain, any negative influences can have lifelong health effects (1). Excessive television viewing among young children has been linked to negative impacts on early brain development, and lifelong physical health (1, 2). Television and early brain development Repeated exposure to television or related activity can affect a child’s mental and emotional development (1). TV often takes the place of interactive experiences (e.g play) that promote healthy brain development (1, 2, 3, 4). Too much TV during the early years has been linked to: o Poor performance in school, especially in the areas of language and reading. If TV is substituted for reading and talking with others at a young age, children may have delayed language development (1, 2, 3, 5, 26). o Being less able to use imagination. Too much TV can lead to an overload on the visual part of the brain, while depriving other parts of the brain. Areas of the brain responsible for creative thought and imagination are under used because watching television doesn’t require these skills (2). o Not being able to tell apart television from the real world. (3). o Problems focusing. Too many fast...
Words: 1759 - Pages: 8
...overweight." (Children and Watching TV., n.d.) Based on research, there are many more negative effects that television has on children than there are positive effects. While there are a few positive effects that television watching can have on children, the negative effects seem to outweigh the good. Television can affect children socially, psychologically, and physically and each of these aspects are equally harmful to children. Television takes the time away that is needed for children to develop language and social skills. A child's language and social skills are developed by interacting with people, talking, and listening. Language and social skills cannot be developed or improved by listening to a television. Children who watch too much television are also at risk for developing anti-social behaviors; these behaviors include: stealing, bullying, and fighting. “The fifteen per cent of five-year-olds who spend at least three hours in front of the television each day are at a slightly higher risk of anti-social behavior by the age of seven.” (Collins, N., 2013) Although bad behaviors can be learned from television, there are also studies that show good behaviors can be learned from television too. Television has positive effects on children when they are exposed to positive role models. When children watch positive role models on television, they are more likely to learn positive aspects of communication. While television can have positive effects on a child's social skills, it does...
Words: 975 - Pages: 4
...Effects of Television on the Youth COM/172 Effects of Television on the Youth Children and their television usage has become an extreme epidemic that has led to many other worldwide problems concerning our children like obesity, sleep patterns, behavior, and academic downfalls. Parents find themselves asking too often, how much television is too much. Being a parent myself I have been able to witness the affects television can have on young children and how serious it is. More now in the 21st century than ever before, parents seem to be gone longer hours and unattached when they are finally home; this might be part of the problem leading to the television epidemic. Television is affecting our children and the family structure as a whole. Parents and guardians need to start taking steps to making a change. Brain Development As television becomes an uncontrollable issue as time passes, some researchers argue that it can effect brain development long term. Television viewing starts earlier than other forms of media often before the age of two (Burke, 2005). There is even a television channel just for babies. Television takes up time that could be used for physical and social interaction which is critical to a baby’s development. Studies have found that television watching before the age of three slightly hurt several measures of cognitive development later in life...
Words: 1395 - Pages: 6
...Literature: 1) Duration of TV Viewing: According to the A.C. Nielsen Co. the average American watches more than 4 hours of TV each day (28 hours / week) i.e. 2 months of nonstop TV watching per year. Number of minutes per week that parents spend in meaningful conversation with their children : 3.5 minutes / week. Number of minutes per week that the average child watches Television 1680 minutes (4 hours/day). 70% of day care centers use television during a typical day. Dietz WH, Strausburger VC & et al in 1991 study entitled “Children Adolescents and Television” revealed that – American children spend more time in front of TV than at any other activity, with the exception of sleep.8 The same research shows that American children spend an average of 2 & 1/2 to 4 hours per day watching television depending on their age. The amount of time spent by American youth in most investigations was around 3-5 hours /day.8 The Kaiser report found Children ages 8 to 18 spent an average of 7 hours and 38 minutes a day consuming media for fun, including TV, music, videogames and other content in 2009, according to a 2010 report from the Kaiser Family Foundation. The report was based on a survey of 2,002 third- through 12th-graders, 702 of whom completed a seven-day media use diary. That was up about an hour and 17 minutes a day from five years earlier. About two-thirds of 8- to 18-year-olds said they had no rules on the amount of time they spent watching TV, playing videogames or...
Words: 4021 - Pages: 17
...The effect of television on a childs attention span Samantha Martin COM/156 May 6, 2012 Jodi Galvan Axia College of the University of Phoenix The effect of television on a childs attention span In watching my 13-year-old daughter, and constantly trying to get her to complete the simplest of tasks such as loading the dishwasher. I have often wondered if watching too much television has anything to do with her inability to complete the smallest of tasks. Some people think that children who watch too much television are likely to develop ADHD; however, it may be the opposite. The child who is prone to Attention problems may be drawn to watching television to sooth their minds (New Scientist, 2007). Is it possible that children too watch much television? According to Eric Landhuis of the University of Otago, children should not watch more than two hours of television per day (New Scientist, 2007). More than two hours of television can lead to attention problems in adolescence. Children who watched more than three hours of television had above average symptoms of ADHD (New Scientist, 2007). Rapid scene changes can over stimulate the brain. Recently their was a controversial news story on how the rapid scene changes in the cartoon Sponge Bob Square pants on the network Nickelodeon over stimulated the young brain of children under the age of six. The over stimulation can make real life seem boring. Landhuis goes on to say, “children who watch...
Words: 1511 - Pages: 7
...How Too Much Television Can Harm a Child’s Development For the past 20 years, studies have linked excessive TV viewing to childhood obesity, poor brain development, lagging educational performance, sleep disturbances and diminished physical activity (Is Television Harmful For Children?, 2010). Children are very impressionable, so sitting in front of a television for long periods of time can have a negative outcome. While a child’s brain is being molded, they are more susceptible to act out learned behaviors from their favorite television shows. Parents have the responsibility to mold their child’s brain and not have it rot out from too much exposure to television. Children's television viewing should be limited to less than 2 hours a day in order to avoid too many negative effects. Violence is something that is hard for children to avoid on television today. Children are at risk of viewing this violence because they are watching more than the suggested amount of television. When children see this violence, they think it is cool and fun, so they want to try it out. They are taught that the images of violence are amusing. Many children who view too much violence can end up committing crimes. According to How TV Affects Your Child (2011), “TV violence sometimes begs for imitation because violence is often promoted as a fun and effective way to get what you want.” (Violence) When children see their favorite character bopping someone on the head to get what they want, it sends...
Words: 1393 - Pages: 6
...How TV Affects Your Child Most kids plug into the world of television long before they enter school. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF): * two-thirds of infants and toddlers watch a screen an average of 2 hours a day * kids under age 6 watch an average of about 2 hours of screen media a day, primarily TV and videos or DVDs * kids and teens 8 to 18 years spend nearly 4 hours a day in front of a TV screen and almost 2 additional hours on the computer (outside of schoolwork) and playing video games The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that kids under 2 years old not watch any TV and that those older than 2 watch no more than 1 to 2 hours a day of quality programming. The first 2 years of life are considered a critical time for brain development. TV and other electronic media can get in the way of exploring, playing, and interacting with parents and others, which encourages learning and healthy physical and social development. As kids get older, too much screen time can interfere with activities such as being physically active, reading, doing homework, playing with friends, and spending time with family. Of course, TV in moderation can be a good thing: Preschoolers can get help learning the alphabet on public television, grade schoolers can learn about wildlife on nature shows, and parents can keep up with current events on the evening news. No doubt about it — TV can be an excellent educator and entertainer. Still, too much TV can...
Words: 3994 - Pages: 16
...attachment to their favorite television shows and fall in love with the characters they see. These relationships can blossom into life lessons on friendships, manners, early learning education, and much more. The results from the adults in their lives not fostering these relationships correctly and limiting the viewing to age-appropriate shows are not evident until later when it has affected the child. The early years of a child’s psychological and cognitive development are the most important. When parents allow younger children to watch shows targeted for older children (and adults), their cognitive development bypasses the fundamental lessons teaching them about issues and problems they are not yet equipped to handle. The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study noticed there were unique reciprocal effects between positive parenting and child's cognitive abilities found at nine and twenty-four months. (Park, 2012) Adults must understand the necessity of age-appropriate, learning-leveled television shows for children to prohibit the detrimental effects that watching inappropriate television shows has on them. The relationship between a child and the television shows they watch can have a huge impact on their lives. There are cartoon shows that teach math skills, problem solving, natural science, engineering, music, collaboration, and second languages along with intrapersonal, emotional, and social skills. These lessons are important and age-appropriate for young children. When young...
Words: 1510 - Pages: 7
...Children and Television Introduction: This research aims at shedding light on the effects that television has on children, both good and bad, and also on how parents feel about their children’s TV watching habits. It will therefore, rely on most information that has been provided by parents. Television and media as a whole are very powerful factors in not only children’s development but also in most adults lives, even though they can be beneficial to us constant concerns from the different media houses about the risks and harms associated with them can leave many parents feeling insecure and overwhelmed. This research aims at navigating through the contradicting reports and advice and establishing a balance between the two. Conclusion: In conclusion, we observe that it is fundamentally the role of parents to make good choices that will influence their children’s development positively. They are therefore, deemed to be responsible and take control of what their children view. They can do this through various methods, some of which include; balancing the time spent watching TV against other healthy and enriching activities, choosing programs that go together with the child’s interests limiting the time spent watching TV, viewing some programs together with the children so as to explain and clarify some areas of importance to them, using TV to capture the child’s creativity and then supplementing that with trips to the library for more reading, adopting the use of the red...
Words: 346 - Pages: 2
...Children & Television In today’s society television has become a crucial part of everyone’s everyday lives, but most of all in the lives of the children around the world. As we have noticed, in these days there are many families all around the world that have or have had access to a television. Television is very dominant and efficient phenomenon, which can sway the future of the children in many any part of the world that we live in. Children mimic what they hear and see on the television. Therefore don’t underestimate, nevertheless of the situation that the child may be watching something that is not age appropriate for them. There are many influences categorized as right or wrong for the developing mind of the child. Parents and guardians have an imperative role in the lives of the child’s program watching, how long they can sit in front of the TV. All these issues are important in determining the child's future within any environment that they might be in. That is pure television violence is influencing children, although that does not mean we could not influence them into not being violent. First Level One heading Start body of paper – topic 1. Indent paragraphs. Level Two heading (if needed) for paragraph Paragraph that continues topic 1 – new idea. Level Two heading (if needed) for paragraph Paragraph that continues topic 1 – new idea. Second Level One heading Start body of paper – topic 2. Etc Level Two….where needed. Etc Level Two….where needed. Etc Third...
Words: 481 - Pages: 2
...learn from other sources then the television. Having proper guidelines in place and making sure enough exercise is being done will help promote future positive television behaviors. Sometimes being a parent can be hard and without proper guidance and research, it can be difficult to know what to do in tough situations. New age studies have shown a positive impact on the development of children when good guidelines are in place when it comes to television. In America, children that are aged 2-11 are watching more television than they have been in past years. Up to date research from The Nielsen Company show that kids aged 2-5 currently spend more than 32 hours a week on average in front of a television. Kids aged 6-11 spend less time in front of the television, about 28 hours a week, mostly because they are likely attending school for more hours in a day (Nielsen Company, 2009). 71% of kids 8-18 years old actually have a television in their rooms. Many people actually only consider television as the only resource of television. Nowadays there are several different ways to access television besides utilizing a TV. Some examples include mobile phones, computers, and tablets. Television is everywhere, and more ways of accessing it are happening every year. Being aware of all the different sources is just one way to control children’s television intake. Some parents have rules about programs mostly pertaining to which shows that children are allowed to watch. Some parents have...
Words: 1079 - Pages: 5
...ENG 120 Children and television: A lethal combination? Many people believe that television can be good for young children and it helps to develop their mind before they attend school. While this may be true, it may also has an overall negative effect on children. Television can be lethal because it teaches children and culturally structures their mind. If a program on television shows a person eating spaghetti with his hands and a child watches this, then the child with think that it can be ok to eat spaghetti with his/her hands. In the developing stage of a child’s mind, everything that is being exposed to them is going to have a profound effect on them. We could say that only certain programs are carrying positive messages whereas the negative impact of television may be dominant. Overall, the television exposes the child to violent/deviant behavior, children build some of their morals and ethics from television and television also causes sleeping defects, obesity and other illnesses. Television can promote certain behaviors to children at young ages, for example if a child is exposed to violence on television, then that program is promoting aggressive behavior and the child can then begin to act more aggressively. Many researches show how television programs negatively affect children and their behavior from a process called imitation. Moreover, children, who are exposed to television programs showing violence, are more or less likely to affect their...
Words: 2835 - Pages: 12
