According to three recent studies released in the United States, the more time youngsters spend watching television, the worse their academic performance. Excessive television viewing has been blamed for rising rates of childhood obesity and aggressive behavior, although the influence on academic performance has proved equivocal.
The studies were published within a few weeks of each other in March 2011. They concluded that if children watch more than two hours of television a day, their chances of achieving higher scores on intelligence tests increase by about 10 percent. If they watch more than three hours, their chances rise by about 20 percent. The researchers said this improvement applied to all age groups, except young children who might not understand what was going on during television programs. Even so, experts believe that youth below the age of nine should not watch television at all.
These findings are consistent with several other studies conducted over the past decade or so. They show that excessive television viewing by infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children is related to less successful cognitive development and greater risk-taking behavior later in life. However intelligent people may be when they're young, many drop out of school because they can't handle the work required to pass exams. Television viewers are likely to follow this path as well.
Another reason why television is bad for your education comes from its content. Programs are made to attract audiences, who will then be encouraged to buy products.
There is little question that television has a strong influence on children from an early age, and it has an impact on their cognitive and social development. (2) Excessive television viewing relates to a rise in weight and has a negative impact on learning and academic performance. Television also affects what food people choose to eat. A study conducted at Stanford University found that if you show violent images to human brain cells in a dish called "neurons", they will start to act like they do in brains of people who have been beaten with fists or shot with guns. The more violence you show them, the more likely these neurons are to die.
Television has also been shown to affect adults too. Research has shown that people who spend a lot of time watching TV tend to be less healthy than those who don't get much TV time. They are more likely to be obese and have diabetes. Additionally, people who watch a lot of television live by the programming rather than doing something active like playing sports or going for walks.
Finally, television causes stress. People who view excessive amounts of television may find it difficult to deal with life's challenges; therefore, it can contribute to depression.
These are just some of the many studies that have been done on the effects of television on our health. There are also many other problems associated with television use that have not been studied but are evident through common sense.
Many studies have been carried out to explore the impact of television on society, particularly on children and teenagers (1,2). Excessive television viewing may be detrimental to learning and academic achievement (10). It has also been suggested that television may be a factor in the increase in violence in society. Researchers have found a correlation between time spent watching TV and rate of crime per 1,000 people (11).
Television is a powerful medium for transmitting messages about culture, education, politics, and social behavior. It can show us what life is like in other countries or even back in time. Television can educate us by giving us information about different cultures or events that happen all over the world. It can also let us know how governments are doing their jobs.
Television can influence how we think about ourselves and others. We often see people on television who are much smarter or more knowledgeable than anyone I've ever met in real life. This must make them amazing scientists, doctors, engineers, etc. But it also makes them feel inadequate when compared to these celebrities. This can cause us to believe that it is possible to become successful if we only try hard enough or take the right steps.
Finally, television can be a tool for educating and influencing children and teenagers about culture, education, politics, and social behavior.
Recent studies from throughout the world illustrate how negatively television may impair a child's physical and mental development. Because television has a harmful impact on children, it should be controlled. For starters, TV has a negative impact on children because children who watch more TV are more likely to be overweight. Also, there is evidence that television can affect brain development by exposing children to violence, which can lead to aggressive behavior as well as antisocial attitudes and values.
There are several ways in television can influence eating habits including: promoting less healthy food choices, influencing what types of food are placed in front of children, and creating an environment where food is used as a reward.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents limit how much television their children watch. Studies have shown that if children watch too many television shows or movies, they are more likely to want to eat like the character in the film or show. The AAP also recommends that parents protect children from exposure to excessive amounts of advertising on television programs for foods high in fat or sugar.