Impact of Background Television on Parent-Child Interaction - Research Paper Example

Impact Of Background Television On Parent – Child Interaction Effects and Relationship Research and Please putthe note here) Abstract In today’s changing times television has become a very important part of a modern family’s daily life. As a result of this trend both parents as well as children are spending a large portion of their days in front of the video box rather than spending quality time together or involved in constructive activities. The presence of background television tends to have a negative impact on the quality and nature of time spent by parents with their toddlers. These activities are considered to be extremely important for the social and cognitive development of the child. Through this paper, an effort is made to understand the relationship between background television and parent child interaction, as well as the consequences thereof. Impact Of Background Television On Parent – Child Interaction Effects and Relationship Research For most American households, television has become an integral part of daily life. It has been observed that most family time is spent in front of the television rather than on constructive activities which might have a more positive influence in the long term on the intellect as well as social and emotional development of children. In keeping with this trend, the exposure of very young children to television programs has increased tremendously in recent years. This effect has been noted in children as young as one year. Although infants and toddlers ordinarily pay little active attention to television programs directed toward adults (Schmidt et al, 2008: Schmitt, Anderson & Collins, 1999), it is possible that exposure to adult television programming may have a significant developmental effect. The main purpose of this writing is not to assess the direct impact of television viewing on children but to attempt to understand the impact of background television on the nature and quality of parent child interaction, particularly in the case of toddlers who are in a critical stage of development. Several studies in this field have revealed that children in the presence of television, irrespective of the nature of program, tend to display shorter attention spans and lose interest in play more quickly. It has also been demonstrated that television programs aimed toward adults tend to distract parents; as a result the quantity and quality of time spent interacting and playing with their children is significantly diminished. Through this paper an attempt has been made to understand the effects of background television on the parent child interaction, as well as the on the cognitive and social development of toddler children. Experiments conducted with the target group in a controlled environment have been incorporated in order to assess the outcomes and understand the relationship between television programming directed toward adults and the development of young children. Method In order to assess the purpose of the study, that is to measure the effect of background television on parent child interaction, a group of very young children between the ages of 11 and 37 months along with their parents were enrolled in the study and observed during a one hour period. During the first half of the observation period the television was kept on with the adult’s choice of program and in the second half the television was not made a part of the experimental environment. Participants The participant group comprised of 51 unrelated children in the age group ranging from 16 months to 19 months and one parent. Information about the socioeconomic status with respect to education was also collected from the parents in order to get some information about their background. It was discovered that 25% of the parents were high school diploma holders, 45% were undergraduates and the remaining 30% of the parents were university graduates. Research Design The research design adopted for this study was a 3 (age of child: 12, 24, 36 months) x 2 (sex of child: male, female) x 2 (condition: TV, NoTV) mixed design with condition as a repeated measure. Measures Two adjacent laboratories were utilized for this experiment; a playroom and an observation room. The playroom was well equipped with age appropriate toys and a television. In both the rooms cameras as well as microphones were fitted in order to observe the events during the course of the experiment. The experimenter also had the controls of operating the television in the playroom from his place. Procedure The first step was to make the child and the parent comfortable with the controlled environment. Thereafter the child and the parent were ushered to the playroom, where the parent was encouraged to act as they typically would at home. Before the beginning of this experiment the parent had already been asked to choose a television program of his choice which the observer played when the child and the parent were in the playroom. The activities of the child and parent were closely observed for a period of 30 minutes while the television was on. Thereafter the observer switched off the program and continued to record the behavior patterns of both the child as well as the parent for the next 30 minutes in the absence of the television. This experiment was repeated with all the child parent sets and the observations carefully recorded. Results After careful analysis and experimental testing of the outcome of the observations several outcomes were noted. Firstly it was found that there was a definite decline in the responsiveness to children in the presence of television programming directed toward the parents. Secondly it was observed that parents object as well as non object interaction with their children also suffered due the presence of background television. As a result of this lack of interaction and responsiveness, the children were deemed to have been neglected to some extent. Discussion In his Six Psychological Studies, Dr. Jean Piaget said, “Mental development is a continuous construction comparable to the erection of a vast building that becomes more solid with each addition." (Piaget, 1986) Very young children, who are still in Piagets “preoperational stage”, are laying a foundation for a lifetime of learning and understanding. Several researchers have expressed concern about the role parental attachment and engagement plays in child development. Parents who are less responsive to the needs of their children need to be aware that their children are learning something from their lack of engagement, and that it may have profound implications for their mental, social, and emotional development. It is evident from the above described experiment that even television programming directed toward adults can have a deleterious effect on child development. While parents are presently advised as to the potentially negative effects of programming directed toward very young children, and encouraged to minimize television viewing by toddler children (or eliminate it entirely in the cases of children under 24 months of age), this experiment demonstrates the need for similar advice regarding background television. New parents ought to be advised as to the potentially negative effects of their own television viewing habits on their very young children. These effects might potentially include all of the well-noted effects of decreased parent-child interaction, including decreased attachment, delayed speech, and poor growth. Given the amount of television programming consumed by the average adult, this lack of interaction may represent a significant social issue. Warning parents of the potential dangers of watching television in the presence of their small children seems imperative. This information need to be disseminated as widely as possible to new parents. Most parents wish to act in the best interests of their child, and will make significant strides in that direction when presented with appropriate information. A campaign designed to inform parents of the deleterious effects of their own television viewing habits may have the desired effect, particularly if the negative effects of said viewing are highlighted and if parents are given suggestions for reducing their television viewing, as well as increasing the quality and quantity of parent-child interactions. Most parents are aware of the potentially negative effects of television programming which is directed toward very young children. In fact, a Google search for “television, toddlers” reveals articles regarding not only the negative effects of television on toddlers, but many parents asking “How much television is too much for my toddler?” and related questions. Parents generally have a desire to encourage healthful growth and development in their children, and are eager for more evidence, information and instruction in this regard. If parents were notified of the deleterious effects of their own television viewing habits on their children, it is very likely that we would see a significant decrease in the amount of time parents spent watching television in the presence of their children. References Kamna, R. (2000, May 1). Effects of Television on Children. [Website] Retrieved from http://cms.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Articles&ArticleID=1809 Kirkorian, H.L., Pempek, T.A., Murphy, L.A., Schmidt, M.E., & Anderson, D.R. (2009). The impact of background television on parent-child interaction. Child Development, 80, 1350-1359. Lance, J. (2009, Dec 28). Eco Childs Play: Background TV Noise Reduces Parent-Child Interaction. [Web log]. Retrieved from http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/12/28/background-tv-noise-reduces-parent-child interaction/ Piaget, J. (1968). Six Psychological Studies. (A. Tenzer & D. Elkind, Trans.). New York, NY: Random House. (Original work published 1964). Read More