The Psycho-social Effects of Technology on Children

Sean Turner

University of British Columbia

ETEC 511: Foundations of Educational Technology

Instructors: Franc Feng & Stephen Petrina

December 2, 2013
 While media technology is prevalent within today's 21st century youth, these technologies are

affecting their psychosocial factors; including but not limited to: Mental health problems, sleep

disruption, anger management problems, delay in health development and obesity. I am going to focus

on a case study involving the Canadian Government and why they are consistently and frequently

promoting ads on being active outside the classroom. I ask myself why would they need to do this? Do

they feel kids these days are not being active enough physically? Have they done research or viewed

research on kids not spending enough time being active? I've done my own research, and have found

there is astonishing evidence to suggest that kids these days are more addicted to technology which has

resulted in negative affects on their psychosocial wellbeing.

Television and its health effects

According to Al Mazmi, Aslam & Rajan, there have been many studies aimed at the harmful

effects of television viewing. One such study showed harmful signs at the development of children

under the age of 3 years old. Slow language development, troubles with sleep, concentration and being

easily excited are just to name a few early signs of childhood development before the age of 3. Another

study was done between the age of 5-6 year olds. It was found that when children viewed television for

more than 2 hours at a time, they showed different signs of illness and the most common one was sleep

disorders. Are they dreaming in their sleep due to the excessive hours of television? Are they having

nightmares and waking up because they are in a virtual reality? More studies need to be done in order

to confirm this.

There is also a correlation between high television viewing and low academic achievement.

There also seems to be a trend with more solitary use of television amongst children because of an
increase of 'bedroom culture,' where children and adolescents spend most of their time at home (Heim,

Brandtzieg et al., 2007). If children are constantly viewing television when they should be spending

this time on studying and doing their homework, then there will obviously be a decline in their

academics. Children need to find a balance in their studies and extracurricular activities. Children these

days are more prone to playing video or computer games and we have to accept this. Parents need to be

more involved and have more of a say in what their child does. This is a prime example of why the

Canadian Government is promoting a more active lifestyle of being outdoors and enjoying sports, as

opposed to sitting on a chair while playing a computer game. This leads me into my next topic.

Computer and video games

There have been studies on the effects of computer and video games on children and how the

lack of concentration affected their academic performance. Al Mazmi, Aslam & Rajan state in their

paper that in one such study, playing video games can lead to diabetes and obesity because of their poor

eating habits and not being physically active outside. Sitting in one place for numerous hours will do

this to a person. These games can almost be played as if you are in the actual game because they are so

real. Al Mazmi, Aslam & Rajan also state what the World Federation of Neurology said, Computer

games halts the process of frontal lobe development which affects the children's ability to control

antisocial elements of their behaviour, thereby restricting the development of brain in the growth

years. (pg. 1228).

An analysis of 54 studies of computer games gives evidence that these games are violent which

affects both the behaviour and cognition of children. The use of these games can result in an increase

of aggressive thoughts and feelings (Heim, Brandtzieg et al., 2007).

 Children start believing that the violence in video games is normal and start acting out their

violence in real life. The more realistic the game is, the child will be more affected by it. Media

violence has such a strong effect that it has been classified as a public health risk owing to childhood

aggression (Hatch, 2011). Consider the 'Sandy Hook' shooting suspect Adam Lanza. It is said to believe

although there is no concrete correlation, that Mr. Lanza was inspired to shoot these poor innocent

children due to his excessive playing of violent video games. Nobody is certain that this is what caused

him to act out his violence, but the police did find multiple games in his house that were of a violent

killing nature. As said before, playing these games make it seem that you are in the game yourself

because they are so life like. Again, more studies need to be done in order to determine the real link

between killings and the use of video games.

Simulated and make believe worlds created by computers, electronic games and the Internet are

broadening children's experiences from the real world to the virtual world. With the Internet, children

can have multiple identities to interact with strangers and even robots. Through electronic games,

children can interact with simulated creatures and characters. The use of computer games and the

Internet allow users to enter into a world where the distinction between simulation and real life might

be confusing, especially for children. Researchers have started to look at this more closely and how this

may influence a child's development (Subrahmanyam, Kraut et al., 2000).

Let's take a look at an example stated in Subrahmanyam, Kraut et al., 2000. Sherry Turkle found

that some children may find it difficult to understand the boundaries between artificial life and real life

when playing computer games. One 10-year old thought that the creatures in the computer game

SimLife were a little alive in the game, and that if you turned off the modem they would go away, but if

the modem stayed on, the creatures could get out of your computer and go to America Online (pg. 19).
 What is lacking thus far, is the methodical research on the physical effects of children's

computer use, but understandings can be gained from several sources. Results from many different

studies on the physical effects of watching television can be revealing. Similarly, research

concentrating on the physical risks of playing computer games is extremely important. These studies

conclude that children's computer use may be linked to seizures, obesity and hand injuries

(Subrahmanyam, Kraut et al., 2000).

One such research team looked at 35 reported cases of video game related seizures and that the

cure was to abstain from playing such games as opposed to medical treatment. Prolonged computer

game playing also has been linked to tendinitis, called 'Nintendinitis' which is a form of a sports injury

to the right thumb as a result of repeated pressing of the buttons during game play. However, there is

not enough compiled research on this type of injury or on the impact of computer use in general on

children's eyes, wrist or back (Subrahmanyam, Kraut et al., 2000).

Childhood obesity and health care costs are on the rise and cost the government hundreds of

thousands of dollars every year. A report completed by the KFF which evaluated research in public

health, media, marketing and childhood development stated that for each additional one hour of

television viewing, there is a 2% increase in childhood obesity (O'Conner, 2011).

Wilson (cited in O'Conner, 2008) looked over evidence between children's emotions and media

use and reviewed how media affects social development. She concluded that media contributed to

children's anxiety and fear, especially in younger kids. Children who viewed television more than 6

hours per day were likely to have depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or anxiety.
Internet and Social Media

The use of the Internet has grown dramatically in the past decade as more children become tech-

savvy and many use computers as part of their curriculum in schools. With this, comes the dangers of

using the Internet. Many children surf the Internet as part of their leisure activities but might

accidentally or purposely surf sites which include porn, violence and may end up becoming addicted or

part of cyber-crime. Stress, anxiety, violent behaviour, depression, suicidal tendencies are just some of

the resulting factors that are attributed to long hours of time spent on the Internet. Children waste

valuable time while surfing the Internet and this can lead to social isolation, depression, loneliness and

withdrawal among children (Al Mazmi, Aslam & Rajan, 2013).

Retrieved from (Al Mazmi, Aslam & Rajan, 2013, pg. 1229).

The figure above demonstrates the usage of technology devices amongst 100 parents to identify

if their Emirati child have been allowed to use technology devices. As you can see, over 65% of the

children have. I can for certain state this figure to be true. As an educator currently living and working

in the UAE, these kids get whatever they want, when they want. I teach a class of predominantly

Emirati children aged between 9-11 years old, and they all have at least one iPhone if not two.
Environmental Education

Edwards, Skouteris et al., discuss that there's a relationship between the increased use of

technologies and media and their lack of knowledge and experience with the environment. A quote that

is quite insightful that I like from Louv, 2005 stated:

... the shift in our relationship to the natural world is startling, even in settings that one would assume

are devoted to nature. Not that long ago, summer camp was a place where you camped, hiked in the

woods, learned about plants and animals, or told firelight stories about ghosts or mountain lions. As

likely as not today, summer camp is a weight-loss camp, or a computer camp. For a new generation,

nature is more abstraction than reality. Increasingly, nature is something to watch, to consume, to wear

to ignore. A recent television ad depicts a four-wheel-drive SUV racing along a breathtakingly

beautiful mountain stream while in the back seat two children watch a movie on a flip-down video

screen, oblivious to the landscape and water beyond the windows (p. 2).

It is true, most camps these days seem to be aimed toward weight-loss camps clearly ignoring

the fact that they once were for educating about nature or the environment. Of course camps that

include nature, kayaking, canoeing or sports are out there and surviving but it's hard to ignore what

these camps were intended for originally. Louv (2005) suggests the lack of nature in children's lives

leads to certain trends such as depression, anxiety, obesity and attention deficit disorder.

Effects of Advertising

Advertising has not been studied as heavily as television programming, however the studies of
the past 10 years conclude the influence of advertising media on the attitudes of children in certain

ways that will eventually shape their later behaviours. During the past decade, much research has been

concentrated on tobacco and alcohol advertising. A study by Fischer et al,. 1991 cited in Villani, 2001,

looked at the influence of advertising on children between the ages of 3-6 years old. They were to

examine brand logo recognition in a sample of 229 children at 2 preschools in Georgia. Using 22 brand

logos, the children were asked to match a logo with a picture of the product. The 6 years olds equally

matched the face of Mickey Mouse to Disney as they did with Old Joe Camel to cigarettes. I ask myself

how is this possible when they are not even of age to smoke? Advertising cigarettes are displayed on

television commercials, billboards, magazine ads and even simply watching a passerby smoke down

the street.

In the 1990's, there were two major studies conducted on the effects of alcoholic advertising on

children. Grube and Wallack cited in Villani, 2001, looked at television beer advertising and drinking

beliefs, knowledge and the intent to drink later in life. The study was on 468 fifth graders using

interviews and questionnaires. They measured awareness of beer advertising, television viewing,

knowledge of beer slogans and brands, intention to drink as an adult and demographic variables. They

found that children with more knowledge of beer brands and slogans had more favourable beliefs about

drinking and would most likely intend to drink as an adult.

Conclusion

Stated in O'Conner's article, the AAP (2009) along with the Kaiser Family Foundation (2005)

recommended that parents need to limit television viewing time to two hours per day for children and

keep children's bedroom media free. Parents can also limit programs by putting a parental code on

televisions so that the kids can only watch informational, educational and non-violent programs.
Parents should encourage interactive activities to enhance brain development. The AAP (2009) also

recommended that there should be no television viewing for children under the age of three years. Most

video games that contain violence are content rated allowing parents to choose which games their

children can play.

Heim et al., 2007; Jackson, Brown, & Pardun, 2008; Wilson, 2008 cited in O'Conner, 2008,

stated that parental monitoring of children's media activities plays an important role in determining the

ill effects of media on children's health. Parents should be actively involved in television viewing by

discussing mature, violent or unrealistic content. Parents can also be of a support to their children and

others by establishing media education programs in schools. Athletics, hobbies and reading are

alternatives parents can adopt to improve their parenting skills.

The Canadian Government say that there's only about 12% of Canadian children who take part

in some type of physical activity daily (Children and Physical Activity, 2013). The rise of technology

use with children will only grow and there needs to be a balance. We as educators and parents need to

encourage more physical daily activity with children. They don't just have to play sports, it can be as

simple as walking a dog or doing household chores. We need to encourage and praise children for

being active instead. The more active they are, the healthier they will become.
References

Al Mazmi, M., Aslam, H., & Rajan, A. V. (2013). The Influence of Technology on Childrens Health. In
International Conference on Technology and Business Management March (Vol. 18, p. 20).

Costa, D. (2007, April 24). Turn It Off, Kids!. PC Magazine. p. 55.

Edwards, S, Skouteris, H, Rutherford, L & Cutter-Mackenzie, A 2012, 'It's all about Ben10TM:
children's play, health and sustainability decisions in the early years', Early child development and
care, vol. 182 (April), pp. 1-14.

Hatch, K. E. (2011). Determining the Effects of Technology on Children.

Heim, J., Brandtzieg, P., Kaare, B., Endestad, T., & Torgersen, L. (2007). Children's usage of media
technologies and psychosocial factors. New Media & Society, 9(3), 425-454.
doi:10.1177/1461444807076971

Louv, R. (2005). Last child in the woods: Saving our children from nature-decit disorder. Chapel Hill,
NC: Algonquin Books.

O'Conner, D. (2011). Childhood Development and Media Use: A Literature Review of the Effects of
Media on Children's Physical and Psychosocial Development. A Master's project submitted in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTERS OF NURSING. WASHINGTON STATE
UNIVERSITY-SPOKANE, WA

Pitman S. (2008). The impact of media technologies on child development and wellbeing. OZChild.
http://www.ozchild.org.au/userfiles/docs/ozchild/research- papers/ImpactOfElectronicMedia.pd

Subrahmanyam, K., Kraut, R. E., Greenfield, P. M., & Gross, E. F. (2000). The impact of home
computer use on children's activities and development. The future of children, 123-144.

Villani, S. (2001). Impact of media on children and adolescents: a 10-year review of the research.
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 40(4), 392-401.
Websites:

"Children and Physical Activity." Government of Canada, Health Canada. N.p., 27 Feb. 2013. Web. 25
Nov. 2013
http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/kids-enfants/physical-physique/tips-conseils-eng.php

(Children and Physical Activity, 2013)