Essay Undergraduate 2,023 words

Effects of Television on Children's Development and Behavior

~11 min read 7 sections Psychology

Abstract

This paper explores the wide-ranging effects of television on children's physical, cognitive, and social development. Drawing on studies cited by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the U.S. Surgeon General, and academic researchers, the paper examines how excessive television viewing contributes to aggressive behavior, desensitization to violence, poor academic performance, obesity, gender and racial stereotyping, and early sexual attitudes. The paper also addresses children's limited ability to distinguish fantasy from reality, the influence of advertising, and the role of social context in mediating television's effects. It concludes with a call for parents to monitor both the quantity and content of their children's viewing.

Key Takeaways

Introduction: Television in the American Home: TV's pervasive presence and children's viewing habits
Television Violence and Aggressive Behavior: Links between violent programming and childhood aggression
Fear, Stereotyping, and Social Effects: Fear responses, racial and gender stereotyping from TV
Obesity, Advertising, and Physical Health: TV viewing linked to weight gain and unhealthy eating
Sexual Content and Academic Impact: Sexual programming and effects on grades and sleep
Children's Comprehension of Television: Developmental limits in understanding TV content
Conclusion: Parental Guidance and Balance: Parental monitoring and balanced TV use recommended

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What makes this paper effective

The paper marshals a wide range of empirical sources — including Congressional testimony, longitudinal studies, and statements from major health organizations — to build a comprehensive, evidence-based argument.
It covers multiple dimensions of television's impact (violence, health, cognition, stereotyping, sexuality), giving the essay breadth while keeping each section focused.
The conclusion avoids a simplistic anti-television stance, acknowledging TV as a cultural reality and redirecting attention toward parental responsibility and balance.

Key academic technique demonstrated

The paper consistently pairs a general claim with a specific statistic or study citation before moving to the next point — a classic expository technique that keeps assertions grounded in evidence rather than opinion. For example, a claim about violence leading to aggression is immediately supported by a 17-year longitudinal study and a 22-year follow-up study, lending the argument cumulative credibility.

Structure breakdown

The paper opens with context-setting statistics about television's presence in American homes, then moves through harm categories in roughly descending order of research depth: violence and aggression (the most thoroughly documented), fear and stereotyping, physical health, sexual content and academics, and cognitive comprehension. A brief comparative study (Israeli kibbutz vs. city children) adds international perspective before the conclusion shifts tone to offer a balanced, practical takeaway for parents.

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Essay 2,023 words

Introduction: Television in the American Home

Television may be an almost universal feature of the domestic scene; however, it is not used in the same way by everyone who has access to a set (Gunter 1). The television set has become an integral piece of household furniture, and practically every home has at least one set — if not more — which means that children are born into a world in which television is present from the start (Gunter 4). According to reports by parents, their children begin viewing television between the ages of two and three. Wilbur Schramm and his colleagues report that the median age at which children begin watching television is 2.8 years (Gunter 4). Although television has its positive side — giving children a chance to see educational programming, learn about different cultures, and be entertained — many professionals and parents believe that television also has a harmful side for children (Television).

According to the University of Michigan Health Systems, the television set is on for over seven hours each day in a typical American home, and the average child spends approximately twenty or more hours each week watching television — more time than on any other activity besides sleeping (Television). By the time the average person reaches the age of seventy, he or she will have watched seven to ten years' worth of television (Television). Critics complain that advertisers specifically target children; in fact, the average child views tens of thousands of television commercials each year, including up to 2,000 advertisements for alcohol (Television). Moreover, television tends to replace activities that most parents consider important, such as playing with friends, physical activity, time outdoors, reading, completing homework, doing household chores, and spending quality time with the family (Television). Television is believed to affect brain development, as well as contribute to poor grades, sleep problems, behavioral problems, and obesity (Television).

6 Sections Hidden · 1,240 words

Television Violence and Aggressive Behavior420 words

Research reveals that programs designed for children are five to six times more violent than adult programming, and that during prime-time viewing there are three to five violent acts per hour, while Saturday morning programming depicts twenty to twenty-five violent acts per hour (Television). In fact, the average child will witness approximately 8,000 murders on…

Fear, Stereotyping, and Social Effects230 words

According to a random survey of grade school children, 37% reported that they had been frightened or upset by a television story during the previous year. Reported symptoms included bad dreams, anxious feelings, fear of being alone,…

Obesity, Advertising, and Physical Health110 words

Research has found that children who spend more than ten hours per week watching television are more likely to be overweight, more likely to be physically inactive, and more likely to snack while watching (Television). Another contributing factor is that up to two-thirds of the approximately…

Sexual Content and Academic Impact160 words

According to the Kaiser Foundation, family-hour programming contains more than eight sexual incidents per hour, yet most of these do not address issues such as birth control, protection, or safer sex, nor do they discuss the risks and consequences of sexual activity, including sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy (Television). One survey revealed that 76% of teenagers indicated that one reason…

Children's Comprehension of Television200 words

Young children have difficulty with certain cognitive tasks involved in understanding television programs, such as separating central from peripheral content, comprehending the sequence of events, recalling events and segments, and understanding causation (Alexander). They also find it difficult to understand the intersections of motivation,…

Conclusion: Parental Guidance and Balance120 words

Television is a fact of life, and any child who grows up without a television set in the home will face significant social challenges in school and later in life. A child who has not seen a particular program or film…

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Works Cited

Alexander, Allison. "Children and Television." Retrieved November 04, 2005 from The Museum of Broadcast Communication Web site:

Bower, Bruce. "Social channels tune in TV's effects." Science News. September 14, 1985. Retrieved November 04, 2005 from HighBeam Research Library Web site.

"Children and TV Violence." Retrieved November 04, 2005 from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Web site:

Gunter, Barrier; McAleer, Jill L. Children and Television. Routledge, 1997; pp. 1, 4.

Kunkel, Dale. "Effect of Television Violence on Children." Congressional Testimony. September 13, 2004. Retrieved November 04, 2005 from HighBeam Research Library Web site.

Pitzer, Ronald. "Television and Children." 1989. Retrieved November 04, 2005 from:

"Sons of violence." Psychology Today. July 01, 1992. Retrieved November 04, 2005 from HighBeam Research Library Web site.

"Television." Retrieved November 04, 2005 from University of Michigan Health Systems Web site: www.med.umich.edu/1libr/yourchild/tv.htm

"What do Parents Need to Know about Children's Television Viewing?" Retrieved November 04, 2005 from KidsSource Online Web site:

Key Concepts in This Paper

Television Violence Aggressive Behavior Desensitization Parental Monitoring Gender Stereotyping Childhood Obesity Media Effects Academic Achievement Child Development Sexual Content