Moderate concept summary: Good Media Bad Media

Ed 304: Ed Psych and Human Development

Author: Camille Jamison

Validated by:

Summary:

Is media bad? Is media good? What effect does media use have on children? 

Answers to these questions are complex and may not have one clear-cut answer. This section discusses potential benefits of media, the downsides of media use in children, and ideas of what makes “good” media vs. “bad” media. 

The benefits of media: 

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, media can be beneficial in the following ways: 

• “Expose users to new ideas and information.” 

• “Raise awareness of current events and issues.” 

• “Promote community participation.” 

• “Help students work with others on assignments and projects.” 
  
  

Critiques of children using media: 

The following are all negative consequence of children’s media use: 

• Lack of sleep- when viewing media before bed, it overstimulates the brain, making falling asleep take much longer

• Greater risk of childhood obesity- Children who spend too much time on media can suffer physical health deficits due to lack of physical activity

• Developmental delays- preschoolers who have more exposure to media may have delays in social, language, attention, and thinking skills. Extended media brings a lack of opportunities to develop through play and interactions with other people

• Worsened school performance- When a student uses media at the same time as they are working on homework and other things their attention is divided and school performance worsens

• Increased violent behavior- Violent behavior is positively correlated with viewing violent media 

• Low self esteem- The comparison factor of social media especially can contribute to negative body-image perception and change how children feel about themselves

• Increased mental health risks- studies show that social media use in particular may contribute to depression and anxiety disorders. 
  
  

“Good” and “Bad” Media

Because children imitate the behavior they see, it is crucial to understand the differences between good and bad media. Good media can help children understand concepts such as empathy, social skills, and critical thinking. Bad media, on the other hand, can damage attention span and promote inappropriate or aggressive behavior. 

Good TV shows, movies, and books are typically slower-paced, interactive, and simple. They can also be educational. They provide good role models who demonstrate pro-social behavior. Pro-social behavior is any positive behavior, such as sharing, taking turns, helping, cooperating, or comforting. Bad media, on the other hand, doesn’t only have to be violent or inappropriate to damage cognitive and behavioral development. Violent media could model obscene language, assault, and criminal behavior. Additionally, TV shows and movies with frequent scene changes can temporarily reduce executive functions such as attention span. Bad media also tends to sensationalize trivial events, distorting what children think of as normal behavior.

Even though some media can be beneficial, how that media is viewed can be just as important as what is being viewed. Excessive media consumption can delay social/emotional, cognitive, and language milestones regardless of quality. This could be because parent-child interaction decreases as media consumption increases. Parental involvement and limits are crucial to helping children benefit from good media. Both the quality and the time spent on media can be determining factors when it comes to good vs. bad media for children. 

Which is better for children? In the following videos, count the number of scene changes, sudden changes in noise levels, violence, etc. Does this clip demonstrate any prosocial behavior?