Tv May Improve Behavior In Kids (1220l) - Middle School Reading Article Worksheet (Page 2 of 4) in pdf

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TV May Improve Behavior in Kids (1220L)

"That's one of the significances of this study."

Notes on my thoughts,

reactions and questions as I

read:

The results

After a year, researchers found that children watching less violent and more

child-appropriate shows scored better on tests that measured cooperation, a

willingness to share or compromise. They also had fewer incidents of aggressive

behavior such as yelling and hitting. "Although television is frequently

implicated as a cause of many problems in children, our research indicates that it

may also be part of the solution," the study notes.

The scientists saw the greatest improvements in boys raised in disadvantaged

homes where children tend to watch more TV. Experts know that children mimic

what they see, whether it's in real life or what's on the screen. And this is of

particular concern when children watch TV or movies riddled with violence.

"Children learn their attitudes about violence at a very young age, before age 8,

and once they learn those attitudes it's very difficult to unlearn them," says

Strasburger.

"It doesn't mean that children who watch violence are going to become

murderers, but it does mean that they are desensitized to violence in the real

world and they are more likely to be aggressive themselves," says study author

Dr. Dimitri Christakis, director of the Center for Child Health, Behavior, and

Development at Seattle Children's Research Institute.

Better shows, better kids

But on the flip side, when children watch shows with positive social messages, it

helps them get along better with others and gives them the tools to become better

communicators, the study suggests. "They will imitate the good things too," says

Christakis. "We should take more advantage of the fact that you can demonstrate

good behaviors on-screen and that children will emulate them in real life."

Right now, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that preschoolers

and older children get only one to two hours of TV or screen time a day. But in

reality, they're really watching much more. According to this study,

preschoolers see an average of about four and a half hours daily at home and in

daycare settings. Parents struggle with guilt, researchers say, because they allow

so much TV time.

"Parents need to get this message that it's not just about how much TV your

children watch, it's about what they watch," says Christakis. "It's not just about

turning off the set; it's about changing the channel."

Wade, L.TV May Improve Behavior in Kids. CNN News. February 18, 2013.

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