Children & Media: Screen Time Effects

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Questions and Answers

What is the average daily screen time for children aged 5-16 years in the UK?

6.3 hours (correct)

4.2 hours

3.3 hours

5 hours

Which social media platform is mentioned as a favorite among children for video content?

Facebook

Snapchat

TikTok (correct)

Instagram

How much did social media app usage among children in the UK increase since the beginning of the pandemic?

75%

50%

100%

130% (correct)

At what age do most children in the United States start using a digital device daily?

2 years old Signup and view all the answers

What is the average daily screen time for 11 and 12-year-olds in the UK?

4.2 hours Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of parents in the United States report the television is always or most of the time on?

39% Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a child-level factor that influences media learning?

Age Signup and view all the answers

How many hours per week do children under five spend on tablets on average?

9 hours Signup and view all the answers

What is one outcome of interest in the study of screen media effects?

Language Signup and view all the answers

By what age does children's screen time in Australia rise to more than four hours on weekend days?

12-13 years old Signup and view all the answers

What age group is most likely to use mobile phones to access the internet?

12-17 years old Signup and view all the answers

What factor significantly affects infants' ability to learn from video?

Social interaction Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of children aged 3-17 primarily used mobile phones to access the internet?

69% Signup and view all the answers

What conclusion was drawn from Kuhl's (2007) study on infants learning foreign language sounds?

Live exposure to language is crucial for phonetic discrimination. Signup and view all the answers

What potential issue arises from using electronic devices to calm upset children?

Difficulty in self-soothing Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary concern related to children's excessive screen time?

It may contribute to eye problems similar to those found in 60-year-olds Signup and view all the answers

Which type of media is NOT categorized as screen media?

Podcasts Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of children aged 3-17 viewed television programs or films via a TV set?

85% Signup and view all the answers

What is one reason why young children may struggle to learn from video?

Events on video can misrepresent the real world. Signup and view all the answers

Which device is most commonly used by children aged 3-11 for online access?

Tablets Signup and view all the answers

What type of exposure was indicated to have no effect on maintaining phonetic discrimination in infants?

No exposure Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors is a media-level factor influencing learning from screen media?

Editing pace Signup and view all the answers

What relationship was found between screen time and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) diagnoses among preteens?

Children predisposed to OCD may spend more time on screens Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant factor in the current media landscape impacting children?

High levels of screen media consumption Signup and view all the answers

What was the association found between daily video viewing and vocabulary scores in infants under 16 months?

Each hour of viewing was associated with a 17-point drop in vocabulary score. Signup and view all the answers

In the study by Robb, Richert, & Wartella, what was concluded about infants who viewed a word-learning DVD?

They showed no increase in expressive or receptive vocabulary. Signup and view all the answers

What was found regarding the effectiveness of parent teaching compared to video viewing in the Baby Video Study?

Parent teaching was significantly better than all three video methods. Signup and view all the answers

What was the correlation coefficient found between parental preference for the video and their assessment of children's learning?

r = .64 Signup and view all the answers

What factor was NOT correlated with the vocabulary scores of infants according to the studies mentioned?

The age of the infants during video exposure. Signup and view all the answers

How many infants participated in the Baby Video Study by DeLoache et al.?

72 Signup and view all the answers

Which group in the Baby Video Study was credited with learning the most words?

Parent-teaching from a word list. Signup and view all the answers

What was emphasized as a challenge in determining the effects of baby videos on development?

Parents often overestimate the educational value of baby videos. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Children & Media

Research suggests children are exceeding global screen time guidelines.
Eye problems are being found in children as young as six, a condition typically appearing later in life.
A link exists between screen time and higher rates of obsessive-compulsive disorder in preteens.
Using devices to calm upset youngsters can hinder their ability to self-soothe, leading to more emotional outbursts.
Research on OCD and screen time is correlational, implying a relationship but not causation. Children predisposed to OCD may be more likely to use screens.
Screen time negatively impacts children, including a higher risk of OCD.
Professional opinions on screen time guidelines are mixed, with some advocating for evidence-based guidelines, not hype.
The WHO's warnings about children's screen time are being disputed by UK experts, who feel guidelines are based on poor evidence.

Overview

Prevalence of screen media and multiple factors influencing use are evident.
Learning from screen media, encompassing language, social skills, cognitive skills, and current issues, is a focus.
A summary of the material is included.

Media Access in Children (Ofcom, 2023)

Mobile phone ownership increases gradually until 8, accelerating to near-universal rates by 12 and remaining so into adulthood.
Mobile phones (69%) and tablets (64%) are most used devices for going online among 3-17-year-olds overall.
Older children (12-17) are most likely to go online using mobile phones, while younger children (3-11) are more likely to use tablets for online access.

5-18 Year Olds Access & Ownership

Most children aged 3-17 viewed TV programs or films using a TV set (85%).
A majority (80%) of children watched TV content through other devices, including half using tablets and 46% a mobile phone.

Media Consumption - The Numbers (UK)

Children aged 5-16 spend, on average, 6.3 hours per day using screens (watching TV, internet, video games, mobile phones).
Social media app usage has increased by 130% among UK children since the pandemic.
Under-fives spend an average of 9 hours a week on tablets.
11 and 12-year-olds spend 4.2 hours online per day, up from 3.3 hours the previous year.
More than a quarter of children spend 4-6 hours daily online.
TikTok and YouTube are the most popular video platforms for children, with 3.3 hours of viewing average per day (under-fives average 3 hours).

Media Consumption – Other Parts of the World

In 2018, Canadian children aged 2, 3, and 5 spent 17, 25, and 11 hours respectively, watching TV each week.
In the US, more than half of 2-year-olds use a digital device daily.
Nearly 4 in 10 US parents say their television is either 'always' on (10%), or on 'most of the time' (29%).
Australian children aged 4-5 spend over two hours per weekday watching screens, increasing to over three hours on weekdays and almost four on weekends for 12-13-year-olds.

What Types of Modern Media Are Children Exposed To Today?

Screen media: Television shows, Films, Video sharing platforms (YouTube), Apps (smartphones/tablets), Video games, E-books.
Other types: Books, Podcasts

Child-Level Factors

Age
Individual characteristics
Family (e.g., Socioeconomic Status (SES))
Social context

Media-Level Factors

Type of screen media
Editing pace
Content

Environmental Factors

Type of exposure
Presence of caregiver

Outcomes of Interest

Language
Executive function
Academic performance
Literacy and numeracy skills
Prosocial behaviour

Learning from Video: Infants

Infants have difficulty learning from video, especially in learning imitation tasks.

How Do We Develop Language?

Powerful computational strategies advance early language learning.
Speech learning is limited without social interaction, in particular for infants learning new languages.

Learning from Video: Infants (Zimmerman, Christakis, & Meltzoff, 2007)

Correlation study: Parents were interviewed regarding the amount of screen time infants were exposed to and completed vocabulary assessments.
Each hour of screen time was associated with a 17-point drop in vocabulary score for infants under 16 months. This drop translated to 6-8 words on a 90-word inventory, but no association was found for toddlers.

Learning from Video: Infants (Robb, Richert & Wartella 2009)

12-15-month-olds who watched commercial DVDs designed for word learning for 6 weeks did not show increased receptive or expressive vocabulary.
56% of parents felt that baby videos had a positive effect on their development.

Baby Video Study (DeLoache et al., 2010).

Participants: 72 infants (12-18 months).
Video conditions with/without parent interaction, and a control group.
The study investigated vocabulary acquisition through interactions.
Measured whether infants learned words and phrases from videos by having caregivers perform the interactions.

Baby Video Study Results - Learning and Testing (DeLoache et al., 2010)

The video interaction group performed better than other groups, with a significant difference between groups.
Significant correlation exists between parent's assessment of video impact and child's performance on tests; however, no correlation was established between parents' assessment of learning outcomes and children's actual performance.
Infants learned very little from baby videos if there was no interaction; those interacting with the content in video did learn more.

Learning from Video: Toddlers (Troseth, Saylor, & Archer, 2006)

24-month-olds followed instructions from a person addressing them directly to find a hidden toy.
The same toddlers were less likely to find the same items using the same information presented by someone on video.
Toddlers demonstrated greater learning if the presenter/person in the video was responsive to them through video interactions.

Word Learning (Roseberry et al., 2013)

Toddlers (24-30 months) were exposed to novel verbs in three conditions (live interaction, socially contingent video, and non-contingent video).
Toddlers who learned via live and Skype mediated interaction showed greater gains than those watching pre-recorded videos.

Toddlers & Video Summary

Toddlers learn from interactive videos but less from non-interactive recordings.
Parents sometimes overestimate their child's learning from videos.

Content Matters

Age-appropriate content (e.g., interactive programs like Dora the Explorer or storybook-style shows like Clifford or Dragon Tales) is more beneficial compared to fast-paced, adult-directed programming.

Preschoolers and Television

Sesame Street, an educational program, is correlated with better test scores in high school.
Educational TV programs (e.g., Super Why!) help preschoolers learn literacy skills, such as phonics and letter knowledge, and therefore contribute to better reading skills.

Characteristics of Children's Media Use and Gains in Language and Literacy Skills (Dore et al, 2020)

A relationship exists between children's media use and language and literacy gains in kindergarten and first grade. (N=488)
Higher amounts of media use resulted in larger language gains, while high use contributed to smaller gains.

Background Television

3-year-olds spend an average of nearly 5.5 hours exposed to background television.
Children engage in solitary toy play for up to one and a half times less duration when exposed and in presence of background television
Background TV is associated with negative cognitive and language outcomes, and reduced language input.

Longitudinal Studies on Background Television

In longitudinal studies: A positive association between background TV (at 6 months) and later decreased cognitive and language development (at 14 months) was reported.
Increased background television exposure at 12 months was shown to be negatively related to executive function at 4 years of age

Research is needed to determine the specific effects of screen media on social skills development.

Screen Media Exposure and Theory of Mind

A correlation was found between media exposure (storybooks, movies, TV) and children's theory of mind development, though inferential measurement was conducted.
Exposure to storybooks/movies positively impacted theory of development, while TV programs did not, inferentially measuring storybook/movie exposure.

Promoting Preschoolers' Emotional Competence

Investigated the positive effects of prosocial media on emotion regulation and recognition in preschoolers (n = 121).
Different approaches of the program included were tested against control groups, to measure which style helped children better recognize and/or regulate emotions.

Promoting Preschoolers' Emotional Competence Through Prosocial TV and Mobile App Use

Interactive, prosocial TV and app use helped preschoolers.

Does Screen Time Influence Mental Imagery?

The reduction hypothesis suggests that screen viewing doesn't require active mental imagery because ready-made visual images are available.
The stimulation hypothesis states that screens primarily stimulate visual and auditory senses but not other modalities (motor, haptic, proprioceptive).

Suggate & Martzog (2020)

Longitudinal (cross-lagged) study involved 266 children (ages 3–9).
The study investigated the link between screen time and mental imagery over 10 months.
Example of measurement: a question such as, "Which is shinier: a trumpet or a violin?"
Screen time predicted mental imagery at a later time but not vice versa.

Covid 19 and Increased Screen Time Amongst Children & Adolescents

Studies indicate a correlation between increased screen time and negative health consequences, such as impaired cardio-metabolic health (independent of physical activity).
School closures during COVID-19 led to higher screen time and less physical activity.

Preschoolers Benefit Equally

Studies suggest preschoolers learn equally well from video chat, pseudo-contingent video, and live book reading for storytime.
No significant difference in learning outcomes were found between formats.

So... Do Children Learn From Screen Media?

The effectiveness of screen media depends on the age, type of child, the screen content they're viewing, and the particular outcome being measured.

Future Directions

Educational screen media can be beneficial; however, increased screen time requires research focus.

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Description

This quiz explores the impact of screen time on children, including rising eye problems and the correlation between excessive screen use and obsessive-compulsive disorder. It discusses the debate around screen time guidelines and the professional opinions on the topic. Test your knowledge on this critical issue affecting today's youth!