Infant Media Exposure and Toddler Development - Term Paper Example

?INTRODUCTION We live in a media-saturated environment – from the time we wake up and read morning newspapers to the moment we step out of our house and get welcomed by huge billboards, and up until night time when we watch our favorite primetime shows on television. Amidst this ever-changing media landscape, many studies have already been done to establish measurable effects of media in audiences. The effects tradition of media studies explains that media can have direct, indirect, or cumulative effects on audiences. Contemporary tradition, however, suggests that the audience takes an active participation in the creation of meanings in media messages. Following the contemporary view, it is implied that the media may not always have an effect on audiences. Different studies have been conducted about the effects of television viewing in the cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral aspects of audiences. These studies examine, for instance, whether violent television content can lead to aggression in audiences. What these studies aim to achieve is the correlation and causation between media content and audiences. While there are many studies documenting the effects of television viewing in adult audiences, there are few studies that also consider the cognitive and behavioral effects of television viewing in infant audiences. This paper argues that television viewing doesn’t have measurable and quantifiable effects on the cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral aspects of infant audiences. This paper aims to show that infant-oriented television shows can be viewed safely by children under two years of age without worrying about the ‘effects’ it can have on the infant brain. The discussion will begin with an examination of the infant’s brain and how cognitive and language skills, specifically, are developed. An analysis of literature about the effects of television viewing in infants will follow. Four Domains of Cognitive Development Paterson, Heim, Friedman, Choudhury, and Benasich (2006) listed four domains that show the development of an infant’s brain structure and the accompanying change in cognition and behavior. The four domains include rapid auditory processing (language), face processing, object permanence, and joint attention (Paterson et al., 2006). Rapid Auditory Processing This domain, which is very important in language functioning (Paterson et al., 2006), refers to how well infants receive auditory cues such as environmental sound, recorded music, or a mother’s voice. The area in the brain where this domain rests can be found in the thalamus, caudate, frontal areas, and the temporoparietal speech areas in the left hemisphere (Paterson et al., 2006). Face Processing A fundamental skill, face processing allows infants to recognize a face which is considered to play a major role in social interaction and functioning (Paterson et al., 2006). The subcortical structures, superior temporal gyrus, and the left-inferior frontal gyrus are the brain areas utilized by infants in face processing (Paterson et al., 2006). Object Permanence Considered a milestone in cognitive development, object permanence allows infants to remember objects after they are kept hidden from view (Paterson et al., 2006). This ability lies in the development of the frontal lobes which can also have effects on cognition and language (Paterson et al., 2006). Joint Attention Mundy and Gomes (1998) consider joint attention a “core social cognitive skill that plays a very important role in early language acquisition” (as cited in Paterson et al., 2006, p. 14). Joint attention tasks are developed in the left parietal lobe for responding to visual attention, and the frontal and temporal lobes for initiating visual attention (Paterson et al., 2006). Relationship of Television Viewing and COGNITIVE Development Several studies have been conducted to establish a relationship between exposure to television content and infant’s cognitive and behavioral make-up. These studies present the television medium as a stimulus that arguably influences an infant’s brain. A study by Tomopoulos, Dreyer, Berkule, Fierman, Brockmeyer, and Mendelsohn (2010) reported that the duration of exposure to television content of 6-month old infants predicted lower cognitive development at age 14 months. Using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 3rd edition (Bayley-III) Cognitive Scale and the Preschool Language Scale-4 (PLS-4), Tomopoulos et al. (2010) predicted that infants exposed to child-oriented television content will have lower cognitive and language development at age 14 months. Associations were also reported in the language subscales of auditory comprehension and expressive communication (Tomopoulos et al., 2010). This establishes the link between television viewing and the thalamus and speech areas in the left hemisphere of the brain. In a similar study, Tomopoulos et al. (2010) found that “exposure to older-child/adult-oriented television content at age 6 months was associated with adverse developmental outcomes at age 14 months” (p. 1109). This doesn’t point, however, to a specific area in the brain that is supposedly affected by television viewing. The association between educational and non-educational television content and cognitive and language development was not proven as well (Tomopoulos et al., 2010). A study by Zimmerman, Christakis, and Meltzoff (2010) showed that viewing of baby DVDs/videos was associated with a decrement in the Communicative Development Inventory (CDI) score of infants aged 8-6 months. The study found a 17-point difference in the CDI score which translates to about 6-8 words being lost in every hour of viewing baby DVDs/videos (Zimmerman et al., 2010). For ages 17-24 months, the study did not find any association between media exposure and language outcomes (Zimmerman et al., 2010). REASONS FOR THE EFFECTS OF MEDIA EXPOSURE TO DEVELOPMENT Associations may be present between television viewing and cognitive development but the root cause of the adverse effects can be traced to a number of reasons which are not always media-related. First, reduced mother-infant interaction which includes reduced audible language, conversation, and engagement (Tomopoulos et al., 2010) can contribute to the lower cognitive development of infants. It is not television viewing per se that affects development, but the little interaction between mother and infants that ultimately results to poorly developed cognitive and language skills. Second, Schmidt et al. (2008) stated that “exposure to media in very young children has been shown to interfere with children’s play activities” (as cited in Tomopoulos et al., 2010, p. 1109). This translates to fewer time spent interacting with other people. In this case, television viewing does not, in any way, affect development. In summary, the effects that were established by the preceding studies are rooted, basically, in a lack of interaction and communication between infant and mother (or other people). Television viewing takes away the time of infants in interacting or communicating which results to undeveloped cognitive and language skills. CONCLUSION Owing to the infants developing brain structure, Zimmerman et al., (2007) suggested that the association between baby DVDs/videos and language development is just a phase and may disappear altogether during the toddler years. Since brain development happens so fast in infants below two years old, the observed effects of television viewing may only be present for a short period of time. Paterson et al., (2006) noted that the development of the left-hemisphere doesn’t happen in an instant. Language and cognitive skills, therefore, at this period of infant life may not be observable yet. It could be possible, then, that the adverse effects found in some studies coincide with the natural tendency of infants, young as they are, to lack cognitive and language skills. In summary, the poor cognitive and language development in infants can be traced to lack of interaction and the brain structure itself. Television viewing takes away the time of infants to interact with others, and not directly affect their cognitive and language abilities. Since television viewing doesn’t have direct and measurable effect in infant’s brain, there is no reason to stop infants from watching TV. References Paterson, S.J., Heim, S., Friedman, J.T., Choudhury, N., & Benasich, A. (2006). Development of structure and function in the infant brain: Implications for cognition, language and social behavior. Neurosci Biobehav Rev, 30(8), 1087-1105. Tomopoulos, S., Dreyer, B.P., Berkule, S., Fierman, A.H., Brockmeyer, C., & Mendelsohn, A.L. (2010). Infant media exposure and toddler development. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 164(12), 1105-1111. Zimmerman, F.J., Christakis, D.A., & Meltzoff, A.N. (2007). Associations between media viewing and language development in children under age 2 years. J Pediatr, 151(4), 364-368. Read More