Introduction
With the advancement in technology media has continually developed and with time has become part and parcel of our day to day live and consequently children and adolescents have been exposed to the various media outlets. Media exposure comes with both advantages and disadvantages. This paper discusses how media affects the physical, cognitive and social development of children and young adults.
Physical development
According to a report by Media Awareness Network (2010), television viewing was perceived to be an inactive activity and one of the key factors contributing to obesity in children. They gave an example of Canada where there were a significant number of kids who are obese. The reason highlighted was that the many hours spent on the television entertainment could otherwise have been used on physical exercises.
The Canadian Pediatric Society was also quoted claiming that “most food advertising on children’s TV shows is for fast foods, candy and pre-sweetened cereals; commercials for healthy food make up only 4 per cent of those shown” (Media Awareness Network, 2010). This influences kids to eat junk foodstuff thereby affecting their physical development.
Social emotional development
A report by Media Awareness Network (2010) claims that children especially girls when subjected to violence on television shows develop increased fear. A report by Boyse (2010) suggested that young adolescents are prematurely exposed to sex through sexual content on media. It is argued that the way sex is portrayed on the media influences young boys to experiment thus exposing them to dangers of premature sex.
Boyse (2010) also claimed that sexual content on the media mainly contradicts what the parents teach their children about sex. As children spend countless time on media they hardly have time to interact with their family members and friends and this greatly reduces their social skills in life (Boyse, 2010).
Cognitive Development
Media violence has been spotted as a possible inhibitor of cognitive development in children. Carban (2010) suggested that kids playing violent video games may perceive violence as a normal way of living. Carban (2010) proposed that kids may become insensitive to violence and become aggressive later in life. He claimed that:
Violent video games display acts of aggression acts, such as, violent and aggressive behavior to either its opponent or victim. Children observed such action, but it becomes inhibited within children cognition, which affects values and beliefs system; for example, children forming thoughts, schemas, attitudes, which affects social behavior and the concept that the world is a violent place. (Carban, 2010, p.3)
Cartoons have also been classified as a factor affecting cognition in young children. According to Media Awareness Network (2010), researchers have pointed out violent cartoon programs as a possible cause to cognition problems “ some of the most violent TV shows are children’s cartoons, in which violence is portrayed as humorous—and realistic consequences of violence are seldom shown”( Media Awareness Network, 2010).
Conclusion
Media affects the way children and adolescents develop in various aspects of life. It has been seen that physical development could be affected by junk food adverts, lack of exercise. Social emotional development is affected by watching violent scenes, sexually explicit materials and character personification.
Cognitive development could be affected by exposure to violent scenes and humorous violent cartoons. It is advisable that the exposure of media to young children be regulated to avoid a bad influence on them.
References
Boyse, K. (2010). Television and Children. Med Umich. Web.
Carban, D. (2010). Media Violence has correlation affects that stimulates aggression in most children. Scribd. Web.
Media Awareness Network. (2010). Television Impact on Kids. Media Awareness Network. Web.