Television's Effects on Children and Adolescents

Introduction: Television's Reach and Influence

As one of the most easily accessible and affordable forms of entertainment, television is something people everywhere in the world have in common. Regardless of how television has been described over the decades since it entered ordinary households, anyone who has witnessed children watching TV knows that it captures their attention with exceptional force and holds the power to keep them glued to the screen. Even in 2014, when the internet claims a significant portion of the viewing time once dedicated to television, television is reported to have retained much of its influence. Parental control is therefore crucial to the way television shapes children's minds and development.

According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, children in the United States watch an average of three to four hours of television a day (2011). Considering that this represents about two-thirds of the time children typically spend in elementary school, the amounts reported for daily television watching are quite significant.

Parents allow their children to watch television for various reasons: to keep them company, for educational purposes, for entertainment, and for information. Given these viewing figures, children are expected to be heavily influenced by television in their behavior, thinking, judgment, reasoning, worldview, interpersonal relationships, attitudes, and beliefs. Television influences every aspect of a child's life because of its persuasive language and a child's inclination to accept as reality the things, situations, arguments, and advice presented on screen.

Under ideal conditions, when a child watches television, a responsible adult should always be nearby to provide explanations and clarifications. Even in the case of TV shows a child has seen before, as the child grows older the questions will multiply and change; the child will become interested in different aspects of the same show. At the age of four, for example, many children are afraid of darkness, fantastical creatures, or the most unexpected things. Television often does not help them process these fears on its own. On the contrary, it can feed their feelings of insecurity and add to an overall sense of confusion.

Viewing Patterns, Screen Time, and Health Risks

Authors Barrie Gunter and Jill McAleer stress that there are various viewing patterns, and therefore the effects of television viewing on children and adolescents will vary considerably. Nevertheless, television watching increased steadily from the 1950s onward, only beginning to decline once the internet gained ground. The internet should not be regarded as a completely separate entity when analyzing the effects of television on young viewers; rather, it is a medium with many overlapping areas with television. Children and adolescents can go online and watch their favorite TV programs on a computer, tablet, or cell phone. The development of digital media devices has only helped television disseminate its content on a larger scale. Children and adolescents are no longer bound to a chair at home — they can now watch television programming virtually anywhere.

The time children and adolescents dedicate to television watching means less time for family interaction, exercise, play, learning, reading, and physical activity. The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that "studies have shown that excessive media use can lead to attention problems, school difficulties, sleep and eating disorders, and obesity." Doctors, scientists, researchers, teachers, and parents have more than half a century of television's effects to study in order to make informed decisions about how to handle children's and adolescents' television watching. Factors such as the type of program, content, frequency, duration, and time of day can all positively or negatively influence a young viewer's behavior. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no television watching for children under the age of two: "A child's brain develops rapidly during these first years, and young children learn best by interacting with people, not screens."

Television Addiction and Behavioral Changes

It is hard to ignore the fact that many children would happily spend time in front of a TV set rather than engage in other activities. Children as young as four have been reported to refuse activities such as drawing or being read to, asking instead to watch a TV program when at home. Dr. Adam Cox, a vocal adviser against excessive television watching by children and adolescents, raises the alarm about another potential risk: addiction. "Children are like a magnet for this type of gratification, and as most parents know, can become addicted to the neurological stimulation of television very quickly" (Cox, 2005).

Indeed, parents often confirm that children — especially very young children — exhibit a type of addictive behavior related to television watching. One mother reported that her five-year-old daughter would ask to watch television (the Disney Junior channel, in her case) at every opportunity: immediately after waking up, on mornings and afternoons alike, and on the way home from kindergarten. This type of behavior reflects a certain degree of addiction. Other parents similarly reported observing increases in their children's attention deficits or a decrease in their willingness to cooperate, and attributed these changes to time spent in front of the TV. They also noted that such problems were often resolved by simply switching off the television and other media devices for days or even weeks when necessary.

Works Cited

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (2011). "Children and Watching TV." Facts for Families, No. 54.

American Academy of Pediatrics. "Media and Children."

Cox, Adam. (2005). "TV is a Drug — Are Your Kids Addicted?" Family Matters newsletter.

Ferguson, Christopher J. (2013). Adolescents, Crime, and the Media: A Critical Analysis. Springer Science & Business Media.

PMC, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. (2003). "Impact of Media Use on Children and Youth." Paediatrics & Child Health, 8(5), 301–306.

Strasburger, V. C. (1997). "Children, Adolescents and Television: A Call for Physician Action." Western Journal of Medicine, 166(5), 353–354.

The American School System: Grades, School Hours and Terms. JustLanded.com.