I. Introduction
A. Background on popularity and growth of children’s television programming
Rise of cable and streaming increased number of stations and programs for kids
Children now spend average of 4 hours per day consuming digital media including TV
B. Statement of purpose: Outline will examine research on impact of TV programs on child development with focus on cognitive skills, behaviors, and health
C. Thesis statement: While television can positively impact cognitive development in young children, excessive viewing has been linked to issues with attention, aggression, sleep, and obesity according to peer-reviewed studies.
II. Impact on cognitive development
A. Television exposure during early childhood can support development of important preliteracy skills
Shows with educational content help children learn numbers, letters, colors which prepares them for school
Viewing programs with social-emotional lessons aids in recognizing emotions, cause-and-effect relationships
B. Active engagement is important for cognitive benefits compared to passive viewing
Studies found interactive viewing where parent discusses show led to greater comprehension vs solo watching
Programs designed for adult instruction versus entertainment lead to better cognitive outcomes for kids
C. For preschoolers, excessive television time of 2 or more hours per day associated with worse vocabularies and executive functioning on standardized tests
One study of 600 3-4 year olds linked heavy television use with lower math and reading scores
Executive functioning skills related to focus, memory and problem-solving negatively impacted
III. Impact on behaviors
A. Observational learning from television can influence child behaviors both positively and negatively
Shows with prosocial lessons increased helpful, sharing behaviors in experimental conditions
Viewing violence led to increases in aggressive behaviors in short and long-term based on meta-analyses
B. link between viewing violence and aggression has been well-established in children ages 2-7 years old
Fictional shows with gun violence alone associated with increased hostility per large epidemiological study
Cartoon violence was tied to increased aggressive behavioral patterns in preschool classrooms
C. Exposure to obesity-promoting foods in ads and programs correlated with unhealthy diet choices in children
Experimental studies showed kids ate more after see food commercials versus non-food ads
Survey data linked hours of daily TV time in grades 1-3 with higher BMI later in childhood
IV. Impact on health and well-being
A. Excessive media multitasking while viewing associated with more difficulties with attention and focus
Splitting attention impairs encoding of information into long-term memory per cognitive studies
One review found link between media multitasking and ADHD symptoms increasing over time
B. Television displaces time for physical activity, outdoor play which are critical for health development
Numerous studies report inverse relationship between TV viewing and physical activity levels
Lack of exercise impacts weight, cardiovascular fitness, bone strength, and sleep in childhood
C. Television viewing frequently displaces sleep leading to poor sleep habits and fatigue issues
Screen time within 1 hour of bed strongly linked to difficulties falling asleep per pediatric studies
Insufficient sleep harms cognition and self-regulation abilities in children according to reviews
V. Conclusion
A. Summary of key findings on cognitive, behavioral, and health impacts of television in early childhood
B. Suggestions for limiting screen time and actively co-viewing educational programs when television is used
C. Importance of physical activity, outdoor time replacing television for healthy child development
D. Need for further longitudinal research on long-term effects of programming and for parenting guidelines
E. Value of balanced media diets with emphasis on alternatives such as reading books with parents