Children and teenagers today are raised in a media-rich environment, using platforms that enable them to consume and produce content. These platforms include broadcast and streaming television, movies, video games, and social and interactive media that can be creative and interactive for individuals and groups.
It should be no surprise that youngsters are quickly hooked to television and other digital platforms, often to the point where they become addicted, given children’s innate curiosity and the intrinsically appealing content on those platforms. Due to the detrimental effects on children’s development, such as acquiring undesirable behaviors and harmful habits, several sources have developed warnings and recommendations about screen time for kids.
Contrary to what most sources claim, watching television can be advantageous, according to a recent review study published in Frontiers in Psychology. The University of Portsmouth and Paris Nanterre University in France studied the effects of passive screen use on young children’s cognitive development. According to its findings, exposure to screens, whether from a TV or a mobile device, can be advantageous depending on the situation.
The number of television shows aimed at young children has grown over the previous 30 years. In youngsters 0 to 2 years old, screen time doubled between 1997 and 2014. In the year 1999, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advised against exposing children under two to screens due to the significant rise in screen time and its early onset.
Over the next ten years, numerous studies showed that, depending on the environment in which viewing happens, screen exposure in children under 3 years of age could be harmful and advantageous for their cognitive development.
Even though there have only been a few studies on the effects of these new forms of screens on baby development, the AAP restated its guidelines in 2011, following the introduction of the first interactive screens. The AAP then addressed several specific recommendations for parents and caregivers to create a family media plan in their 2016 statement.
To better understand whether types of screen exposure are detrimental to cognitive development and whether some viewing situations can help learners in infants under the age of three, researchers from Frontiers in Psychology conducted a study. The study’s authors contend that the effects of screen time primarily rely on contextual aspects of viewing instead of the quantity of viewing.
They examined 478 papers from the past 20 years and discovered that early exposure to television might harm play language development and executive functioning, especially for small infants. According to studies, a parent or other adult should be present for a child to watch television, so they may interact with them and ask them questions.
The researchers concluded that interactive and non-interactive displays are becoming more prevalent in early childhood after reviewing the incidence of screen exposure in newborns between 0 and 3 years old. Infants don’t seem to learn much from screens without parental or adult supervision, primarily due to the video deficit effect and the inability to interpret speech on video.
They discovered that children under three had an overall unfavorable correlation with language development. The viewing volume, however, is not the most crucial aspect to consider. Evidence has recently been presented supporting the idea that viewing quality (or context) should be prioritized over quantity.
The study cautions that watching TV shouldn’t replace other learning activities, like socializing, even though the proper information can be more beneficial than harmful. Instead, it is crucial to educate parents and other adults who care for children under the age of 3 about the dangers of excessive screen use in inappropriate settings.
The authors advise emphasizing learning-promoting circumstances, like kids watching age-appropriate material under adult supervision and refraining from using a second device or TV screen in the background.
In sum, the researchers highlighted that:
Further research could concentrate on precisely defining these factors, elucidating their roles, and understanding the processes by which they influence an infant’s screen habits, according to the researchers, who also noted that connections of various environmental and contextual factors correlate with screen time still need to be defined.
The number of time children spend using and viewing screens outside of the house, at daycare, and in preschool settings increases, and they are exposed to more and maybe diverse screen media content, which could impact how they grow. Therefore, it is also important to research screen media use in these contexts and how it affects children’s development.
Guellai, B., Somogyi, E., Esseily, R., & Chopin, A. (2022). Effects of screen exposure on young children’s cognitive development: A Review. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.923370
