The Desensitizing Effect of Technology on Young Children and Preventative Measures - Essay Example

The Desensitizing Effect of Technology on Young Children and Preventative Measures Introduction Studies have documented that children and adolescents spend approximately 7 hours of their time in a day using media (Sayre & King 2010). Majority of them have been found to have access to bedroom television, video games console and computer. Although not all children seek media devices for wrong purposes, most of them unknowingly find themselves entangled in the all wrong things attached to the media. In fact, the facets of most children seeking access to media are for enjoyment, education, and social connection. Nevertheless, some children are eager to find out what the programs that are forbidden entails. This ends up making them watch wrong programs that are meant for adults. In some extreme cases, aggression, sexual behavior, substance abuse and poor academic performance have been cited as having been fueled by the use of media. Video games and desensitization Recent evidence point out that playing violent video game can cause aggression among many people including the adults. When children engage in violent video games, they slowly develop numb to the pain and suffering (Gunter, 1998). When children use more time playing violent video games, they develop the urge of putting into practice what they have been playing. A threat for punishing such a child by a way of beating them up is not taken as serious issue since they have witnessed more of what one is threatening them. In fact, most of these children develop arrogance and funny antisocial behaviors. They trust their game’s experience to the extent that they do not fear fighting their fellow children. In fact, seeing other people suffer in pain is not a big issue since they already have a lot of violent instances from the games they play. Where children have no access to these games, they look for money to play at play stations. In most cases, parents would not consent to violent video games, and therefore, the children would look for means of getting money to pay for the game. This is dangerous because the only way they can get money if denied by their parents is by stealing. Jusoff (2009) argued that the environments through which children are brought up in greatly determines the kind of behaviors to adapt. If a child is brought up in an environment where children gather at play stations to play violent video games, the child will definitely develop the same behavior just to be like his friends. Television Television has been very instrumental in terms of educating and entertaining families. However, there are specific programs devised for the whole family viewing while there are those that are devised for adults only. Children also have got their entertaining programs specifically devised for them. However, some instances happen that children find their way to accessing the forbidden programs. To them, that is part of enjoyment, to watch what they have been told not to watch (Gunter & Clifford, 1995). For instance, well up families have television sets in the sitting room and in bedrooms. For the bedroom television, it is only meant for the parent as children are instructed to watch specific programs in the sitting room. In case the children access forbidden programs, they might end up developing bad behaviors. For instance, some programs have scenes of sexuality and which might not be healthy for children. In fact, some movies might have scenes of violence for individuals wanting to have set with other women. In instances where such themes come to pass and the victim gives in, the same tends to be copied by some children who might have been following the movie. They grow believing that, through violence, one can have sex with people they desire. The same case applies to TV programs that show corrupt, cruel and immoral people ascending to power and gaining wealth. When children watch such programs, they develop the notion that such means can lead one into glory of wealth and power (Schmidt et al., 2008). It is also documented that some TV programs are addictive to children and can affect their academic performance. Some children forgo their homework and other study assignments just to watch a certain TV program. Some even go over midnight watching such programs. When they get to school the following day, they find themselves behind others especially if they did not attend to their homework and other class related assignments. Their level of concentration is low especially when they start dozing in class as a result of extended TV program watch time. Thus, their performance becomes poor since their minds are preoccupied by the numerous scenes of the programs they watch (Gunter & McAleer, 2005). They become senseless of what they are required to do in regard to their studies and other important activities. Computers With the increase in technology in the contemporary world, people can access internet using different devises including mobile phones. Children have not been left behind and are very much interested in connecting to the world. With the internet, children can get any information they need anytime of the day. Some of the video games are offered online and children can easily access them as long as they have access to the internet. In addition, a lot of phonographic information is available in many sites in the internet (Anderson, Gentile & Buckley, 2007). When children happen to have access to them, they can really get addicted to them and this is so detrimental to them. Studies have documented that some of the sexual behaviors recorded in children are highly connected with the use of internet (Mackey & Levan, 2013). Social media have also been part of the contributing factors of antisocial behaviors in children and adolescents. Social media sites like facebook have been found to be most addictive and children can spend the whole day chatting and posting information to their friends (Kowalski et al., 2012). It has been found out that social media has reduced the level of secret among people. When children engage in social media, they end up discussing issues concerning their families and other private matters. Some engage in sexual texting as a way of fun. Such things end up preoccupying their minds. Preventive measures Although there are several ways through which children can be prevented from being involved in negative technological involvement, the focal point revolves around parenting style employed in bringing up the children. For instance, children brought up in an authoritarian parenting style tend to develop some hostile and aggressive behaviors (Benson & Haith, 2009). This is the kind of style where parents give out rules that they expect to be followed to the letter. No form of challenge can be made by children regarding the rules. Such children focus more on being angry with their parents and can actually channel their anger to their fellow children in school or in the neighborhood. When for example they are told not to play violent video games, since they know the rules are absolute and cannot be challenged, they may find other ways of playing the games including going to play stations or playing the games from their friends’ home. Thus, this kind of parenting style cannot be used in controlling children in matters pertaining the influence of technology. Benson & Haith (2009) argued that authoritative parenting is the best type of parenting. Parents set rules and expect them to be followed. Nevertheless, they give their children room for exceptions and are actually negotiable depending on the consequences involved. They explain things to their children and make them understand that they have to be responsible in whatever they do. In fact, authoritative parents consider child’s feelings and in most cases, they give alternatives to what they wanted if their first demand were not within the rules. Benson & Haith (2009) pointed out that children brought up by authoritative parents obey rules and are good at making decisions. In this regard, it is apparent that good parenting plays a big part in controlling children in matters concerning the use of technology. Children are made to understand the consequences of every action they take in regard to the wrong use of the technology. For instance, children brought up with authoritative discipline would listen to the advice given by their parents in regard to consequences of playing violent games. They are made to understand that there are alternative ways they can enjoy themselves. Such children need not to be always monitored to avoid involving in bad use of technology. Limiting technology Since children are adventurers in nature, they would want to always find out many things taking place around them. However, when they have much access of the technology, they go over board and find themselves involved in things that were not initially required to. In light of this, it would be indispensable to limit the access and usage of the devices that exposes them to negative exposure. For instance, the use of internet can be limited to children only to cover the time when the parents are around or under supervision of caregivers. Any other time, the internet should be switched off. This is arguably workable since children tend to do malicious things in absence of their parents or caregivers. Since the majority of kids involved in the use of technology are school going children, it would be imperative for special programs to be introduced in school and which will aim at enlightening the children on the right way of using technology as well as point out consequences of using it for wrong reasons. Such programs would focus on all aspects of technology ranging from television, violent video games to the use of internet. Children should also be advised to avoid bad company that would lead to involvement in bad use of technology. Peer pressure is dangerous especially if it involves a group that is driven by bad behaviors. Mackey & Levan (2013) pointed out that chances of children copying behaviors of their friends are higher than leaving them. Jusoff (2009) argued that environments through which children are brought up plays a big role in determining the kind of life they lead. Children brought up in poor neighborhoods have little constructive ways of enjoying themselves. The only leisure they might get is through engaging in cheap activities that are availed by technology. These are kind of children who gather in play grounds and decide to get to play stations to play violent games. Most of their time is spent discussing how people achieve big things in life. Unfortunately due to the limiting factor of finances, they focus on how uneducated and people from poor backgrounds make it in life. This is in reference to what may be they watched a certain movie end. In this regard, they feel the urge to watch more and more of such movies to gain the skills and knowledge of attaining what movie stars achieved. Thus, they use all available means to get money to watch such movies or take part in the violent games. Conversely, children raised up in rich neighborhood have everything they want for their enjoyment. Instead of involving themselves in bad things, their parents can afford paying them constructive enjoyment events. They can afford to employ specialists who would teach them good manners in their absence. Thus, chances of children from such families engaging in bad technological involvement are minimal. Conclusion With many deliberations on the desensitizing effects of technology on children, the tenets of these effects entails exposing them too much on technology without control. A simple watch of a TV program can easily harm a child if no measures are taken. The same case applies to children involved in playing violent video games. They slowly develop no sense to pain and end up becoming aggressive. The effective way of curbing the menace is applying authoritative parenting style to the children. This highly helps them to understand that there are those things that are good to them while others are harmful to them. Limiting the use of the technology devises like television, computers and mobile phones can also help in preventing them being exposed to instances that put them at risk of negative impact of technology. References: Gunter, B. & Clifford, B. (1995). Television and Children: Program Evaluation, Comprehension, and Impact. New Jersey. Psychology Press. Top of Form Gunter, B. (1998). The effects of video games on children: The myth unmasked. Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press. Bottom of Form Top of Form Anderson, C. A., Gentile, D. A., & Buckley, K. E. (2007). Violent video game effects on children and adolescents: Theory, research, and public policy. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Bottom of Form Gunter, B. & McAleer, J. (2005). Children & Television. New York: Routledge. Jusoff, K. (2009). Television and Media Literacy in Young Children: Issues and Effects in Early Childhood. International Education Studies 2 (3), 151-157. Schmidt, M., et al. (2008). 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