Consequences of Exposure to Negative Internet Content on a Child's Development - Research Paper Example

? Consequences of Exposure to Negative Internet Content on a Child's Development There is increasing number of children across the world accessing the internet. It is estimated that about 90% of adolescent children in the United States have access to the internet. This trend is replicated in most parts of the world due to increased internet connectivity and technological advancements. Internet access to children and the general population has numerous benefits: it facilitates research for education, add entertainment value, and improve communication among other benefits. However, availability of internet has its negative impacts such as cyber bullying, exposure to sexually explicit content, diverting children’s concentration on education and other desirable societal values, and exposure to violence among other dangers. There has been an alarming increase on exposure of children to negative internet content, which raises serious concerns on the children development. Recent surveys have raised important questions on children’s exposure to negative internet content and how it impacts on their development. Even though children as young as four can access internet, various studies have suggested that children who access internet and are greatly exposed to negative internet content are those over the age of 10 years. This paper will explore the extent of exposure to negative internet content on the average child. It will also explore the effect that negative exposure has on a child’s development. Lastly, it will make some recommendations for educators and parents on minimizing exposure to negative internet content and the resulting effects of that exposure. Consequences of Exposure to Negative Internet Content on a Child's Development Introduction The fact that technology has impacted on people’s lives greatly cannot be disputed; it has changed how people live, do business and meet their entertainment needs among other impacts. Technology has touched lives of all calibre of people in the world regardless of age, sex, socio- economic status, race, or religion. One of the greatest technological developments is the internet that has changed how people live and conduct business. The benefits of internet in people’s lives are so immense to be ignored: it has improved communication between individuals, has increased the diversity and value of entertainment, and facilitated research for education among other notable benefits Johnson (2010). On the flipside, internet has exposed people to sexual explicit content, violence, and reducing time that people spend on other issues such as family bonding. Cho and Cheon (2005) notes, the increasing prominence in the lives of young people has made researchers to start investigating the extent to which internet is having on children development. However, it should be noted that access to internet by children is in most cases well- intended and exposure to negative internet content often occurs as a by the way or after influence from third parties. According to Wartella (2000), children use internet commonly for playing games, accessing information, and communicating. As a matter of fact, studies have shown that children who use internet for communicating and learning often demonstrate better metacognition and language use than children with no access to internet or who have very limited access Johnson (2010). In addition, children who communicate online are socially- comfortable compared to those who do not and often display social- anxious. Waltermann and Machill (2000) argues that internet- use by children enables children to have high pattern recognition, visual memory, and high level of self- monitoring. He further argues that internet plays a crucial role in promoting a child’s cognitive development. However, Cho and Cheon (2005) explain that negative internet content affects child’s development depending on the rate of usage and exposure to the negative content. Negative internet content has been linked to childhood hostility, over- arousal, aggression, and distractibility. It is imperative to note that negative internet content is majorly made up of two aspects: exposure to explicit sexual content (pornography), and exposure to violence. These two aspects greatly affect a child’s development. Researchers have focused more on exposure to sexual material while explaining children’s exposure to negative internet content Ybarra and Mitchell (2005). This heightened interest is due to the fact that exposure to sexual materials on the internet by children has been seen to increase sex crime possibilities when these children grow older. Besides, effects of this kind of exposure have been noted to affect child’s development in terms of their health and subsequently adolescent health, thus making this issue to be of great importance. Importance of the Problem In the contemporary world, the internet has become nearly inseparable element in people’s life, and children are no exception. Children are becoming increasingly involved in internet activities due to ubiquitous availability of its access. As has been noted, internet is a double- edged sword for children: whereas it provides them with opportunities to learn and have fun, it also exposes them to possibility of negative content that may eventually affect their development ParentLink (2004). ParentLink (2004) lists the following as the internet’s negative aspects; commercialism, hate sites, predation, isolation, pornography, and violence. There are websites that are considered to be detrimental to children’s development. These websites include those containing contents on online gambling, violent online games and scenes, and pornography. The fact that these websites are easily accessible since most of them are note protected or do not regulate the age of viewers further compounds this problem Cho and Cheon (2005). It should be acknowledged that despite the serious negative aspects of internet exposure to children, most parents and other stakeholders still underestimate or are ignorant of the problem and its repercussions to children’s development. It is in the light of this problem that it is important to explore the problem and understand the consequences of negative internet content on child’s development. Psychologists and educators, to be specific, have realized the effects that negative content have particularly on the cognitive, social, and physical development of a child Johnson (2010). The aforementioned negative aspects of internet exposure to child’s development are evidently destructive and harmful to child’s development. Negative aspects of internet exposure to children have the following negative outcomes: aggression, lack of reality, increased symptoms of psychological trauma, anti-social behaviour, identity confusion, poor school performance, fear, and negative self- perception among others ParentLink (2004). Despite these negative outcomes being very clear, little is still known concerning the exact amount of children’s exposure to these negative contents on the internet. Parents in most cases underestimate the amount of possible negative that their children might be exposed to hence, minimal regulation on how their children use internet. If that is not enough, parents, educators, and psychologists among other stakeholders either do not understand or are ignorant of the consequences of negative internet content on children and how it affects children’s development. This leads to minimal or no action at all on their part in regard to regulating the content accessed by children on the internet. Therefore, it is utterly important to understand this problem and its consequences. Relevant Scholarship Child’s development is greatly influenced by his/ her environment. Johnson (2006) argues that environmental influences surrounding a child affects how he/ she develop and relates with multiple levels of the same environment and systems of relationships. He further argues that internet use has a developmental impact on a child; during childhood, a child is mediated by techno- subsystem interactions that are within the child’s environment. For instance, in an environment that has internet connection, a child’s Microsystems elements such as community, schools and home are affected by internet. Students do most of their assignments by researching on the internet and they also communicate with their peers and family using internet. At home, both parents and children can use internet for various purposes Johnson (2010). As such, it cannot be disputed that children use internet in their three immediate environments that have been mentioned. Due to this usage, often extensive, internet impact greatly on the physical, social, cognitive, and emotional development. Recent trends indicate that there is a continued increase in the use of internet among the children across the world. For instance, surveys shows that over 20% of Canadian children who are at age 9 have access to internet through their own personal computers, over 23% of children between 8 years and 10 years visit websites each day, while 75% of Australian homes have internet access thus increasing the possibility of children to access the internet Johnson (2010). While it is true that internet is beneficial to children in numerous ways, it cannot be disputed that it has the potent of harming children in addition to interfering with their proper growth and development Greenfield (2004). Internet use among children enhances pattern recognition, visual memory, levels of self- monitoring, and becoming socially- comfortable among children. But on the downside, it can cause negative outcomes such as aggression, fear, hostility, and over- arousal ParentLink (2004). Without doubt pornography and violence form the greatest part of negative content on the internet that negatively impacts on the child’s development Cho and Cheon (2005). Ybarra and Mitchell (2005) observe that pornography’s effect is in great extent; explicit sexual content on the internet can potentially influence sexual attitudes, sexual activity, sexual violence and moral values of children. Besides, websites with violence games tend to make child incline towards fear, aggressiveness and hostility both in their childhood and in adult life. The adverse effects of negative internet content are evident and cannot be ignored. Waltermann and Machill (2000) argue that it is essential to protect children on the internet and nurture them towards responsible use of internet. According to them, all stakeholders should participate actively in protecting children from negative internet contents and their impacts. The government and regulatory agencies concerned with internet usage should play a leading role in formulating and implementing laws and regulations that are aimed at protecting the children from negative internet content. Additionally, they should put very punitive measures in place to punish those who violate these laws and regulations. Role played by the government and its agencies will go a long way in nurturing responsible and more productive citizens Greenfield by protecting them from negative effects of negative internet content (2004). Moreover, schools have critical role to play in regard to protecting children from negative internet content and its repercussions. Schools have the responsibility of teaching students the adverse effects of these contents and guiding them on appropriate use of internet for their own benefit both presently and in the future Wartella (2000). Schools should lead by example by blocking access by students of sites that have negative contents. Cho and Cheon (2005) argue that the most practical and appropriate protection aspect of children from negative internet content is from the family. They observe that parental control on children’s internet usage can yield more positive outcomes compared to other forms of control. This is because parents have the ability to supervise successfully the internet usage of their children in addition to understanding the internet usage behaviours and patterns of their children. The fact that most parents have good proficiency in internet knowledge and skill means that they will be able to have better control on how their children use internet, hence resulting to more proper internet usage by their children. According to ParentLink (2004), greater perceived control over internet usage by children contributes reduced exposure to negative internet content. Hypothesis The following hypothesis is postulated for this research: Exposure to negative Internet content has adverse consequences on a child’s development. This hypothesis corresponds well with the research design that was used. The research design that was used was non- experimental design; the participants’ experiences were measured in order to understand their behaviours in the study. The participants were assigned certain questions and their variables of interest were measured. The hypothesis corresponded with the design since the research was seeking to understand different experiences of participants in regard to access to negative content and its consequences. Method The research consisted of both qualitative and quantitative approach but it may be considered to be majorly quantitative. A structured questionnaire that covered all relevant aspects was designed and completed by selected children between the age of 9 and 16 years. In addition, there were individual interviews that were conducted with two educators and two parents. These two- phased approach was followed later to provide a clear understanding of how children were exposed to negative internet content and the consequences that they were experiencing as a result of this exposure. Parents of children in fourth through twelfth grade to allow their children to complete questionnaires regarding internet use. Also, teachers were permitted to rate the children’s development aspects. Participants Forty- five children (24 females and 21 males) participated in the study. The school has both elementary and high school hosted in the same compound. While two educators and two parents were involved in the study for interviews. The youngest child in the sample was 9.5 years old and the oldest child was 16. 3 years. 80% of the participating children admitted to have internet access daily in their homes and also used the school’s internet occasionally. 12% admitted to accessing internet at home when their parents come home with their laptops, whereas 8% admitted to occasional internet use since their homes were not connected to the internet. Sampling Procedures The sample comprised of 45 children between the age group 9- 16 years and of both genders. The sample was stratified according to age groups: 9-11 years, 12- 14 years and 15- 16 years. After obtaining permission from the school’s administration, sampling was done. The sample was selected randomly among the children of these age groups in the school in both the elementary and high school of the same school. The written consent of the sampled children’s parents was thereafter sought of which they agreed. Two computer teachers, each from elementary and high school were selected to participate in the study since they interact frequently with children on internet- related issues. Two parents, one representing elementary school while the other representing high school, were selected to give their opinions on internet usage of the children particularly on negative contents and their consequences. A total of 45 questionnaires were administered to the participating children. The participating children were rewarded with chocolates upon completing the questionnaire in the classroom that had been allocated for that exercise. Sample Size, Power, and Precision The sample size of 45 children for this study had adequate statistical power. The size chosen represented sufficient number for the three age groups in the study with each age group having 15 children. Also, the sample size was convenient and readily available to collect data from it. The sample size was modest; not very small and neither was it large. As a result of this sample size, desirable level of precision was arrived at. Measures and Covariates Seven latent constructs were examined in this study: children’s rate of internet access, their internet usage, their exposure to negative internet content, their perceived possible consequences of this exposure, perceived parent’s control on the internet usage, perceived teacher’s control on the internet usage, and their general view on the negative internet content. All the questions items were constructed by the researcher. The first six constructs were measured in a scale of 1- 5: 1- highest rate, 2- relatively higher, 3- average, 4- below average, and 5- low. The seventh construct sought their personal opinion on whether they think negative internet content is appropriate for children and if children should be allowed to access them. In sixth construct they were asked to explain reasons for their response. Research Design This study used non- experimental design; the researcher tried to measure the experiences of the participants by measuring a wide range of variables. This design was the most appropriate since the study was aiming to understand the consequences of negative content caused by exposure of this content to children. It wanted to establish the relationship between negative internet content and its consequences on children. Results The study found out that each participant had access to internet at least once per week. It also found out that there was a average internet use of 67% per week. In regard to exposure to negative content, 13% admitted to access negative sources frequently, 26% admitted to access occasionally, and 61% denied ever accessing negative content websites. All of the respondents admitted to knowing that access to negative content has negative consequences in their lives, but 16% stated that the consequences are negligible and cannot impact on a person’s life to a significant extent. In relation to perceived internet usage control, the following results were noted: parental control was 60%, while teachers’ control was 45%. On the general view part, 85% of the participants thought that negative internet content is undesirable especially for children, 10% thought it was not bad, and 5% were not sure whether it is bad or not. The interview conducted with teachers observed the following: the rate of exposure to negative internet content by the students of that school is low since most of them were aware of its dangers. However, they admitted that a small number of students were accessing these contents. On the part of the parents, the parent representing elementary school noted that children in that level rarely access internet for negative content but mostly for playing games and communication. However, the parent representing high school observed that most children at this level started to increase access to negative content websites a scenario she attributed to curiosity and peer pressure. Recruitment The participants were recruited on 2nd December 2011. A follow up was made on 3rd December that they will participate in the study on 5th December. Research Challenges There were several challenges that were experienced during the research. One, gaining permission from the school’s administration and the consent of the parents proved difficult. School administration was initially adamant on study being conducted in the school because they considered it as disturbance and interruption since the students were preparing for end year exams. Eventually, after being convinced on the necessity of the study they agreed. Also, some parents were reluctant to offer their consent regarding their children’s participation in the study. They wanted to be sure what the study entailed, if it is going to infringe on privacy of their children and interfere with their time. However, after explaining to them thoroughly about the study they gave their consent about their children’s participation. Two, since the research was with children, the challenge of formulating survey questions and seeking informed consent arose. Discussion This study aimed at understanding the consequences of exposure of negative internet content on a child’s development. In pursuit of this objective, a study was conducted in school for children of ages between 9 and 16 years. The study found out that, generally, the consequences of negative internet content can neither be underestimated nor be ignored. As Johnson (2006) notes, negative internet content has a potential of impacting negatively on the child’s development. As noted from the results, the exposure of children to the negative internet content may be higher than the educators and parents think. It is for this reason that there is need for combined efforts on the part of all stakeholders such as the parents, teachers, and government officials to prevent children’s exposure to negative internet content and its consequences. References Cho, C., and Cheon, H. (2005). Children’s Exposure to Negative Internet Content: Effects of Family Context. Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media 49, No. 4 Greenfield, P. (2004). Developmental Considerations for Determining Appropriate Internet Use Guidelines for Children and Adolescents. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 25, 751–762. Johnson, G. M. (2006). Internet use and cognitive development: A theoretical framework. E- Learning, 4, 565-573. Johnson, G. (2010). Internet Use and Child Development: The Techno- Microsystems. Australian Journal of Educational and Developmental Psychology, Vol. 10, p. 32- 43 ParentLink. (2004). Children and the Internet. Retrieved December 18, 2011 from http://www .parentlink.act.gov.au/parentguides/parenting_childandinternet.htm Waltermann, J., and Machill, M. (2000). Protecting Our Children on the Internet: Towards a New Culture of Responsibility. Bertelsmann Foundation Publishers. Wartella, E, et al. (2000). Children and Interactive Media: A Compendium of Current Research and Directions for the Future. New York: Markle Foundation. Ybarra, M and Mitchell, K. (2005). Exposure to Internet Pornography among Children and Adolescents: A National Survey. Cyber Psychology & Behaviour, Vol. 8, No. 5. Read More