The Effects of Media and Digital Games on Children

It is already decades that the social science research reveals the strong influence of media and digital games on the behaviour of children.  Moreover,  psychological research reveals that digital games and media play a crucial role in the development of attitude, emotion, social behaviour and intellectual functioning of children (APA Task Force On Television and Society, 1992; Funk, J. B., et al. 2002; Singer, D. G. & Singer, J. L. 2005; Singer, D. G. & Singer, J. L. 2001).

 However, the research on interactive video games reveals that the most popular video games contain violent and  aggressive content ( Dill, K. E., Gentile, D. A., Richter, W. A., & Dill, J.C., in press; Mulac, A., Jansma, L. L., & Linz, D. G., 2002; Walsh, D., Gentile, D. A,VanOverbeke, M., & Chasco, E., 2002).

 In other words, there is a correlation between playing violent video games and the aggressive behaviour of children. Thus, it is the task of the parents to make clear distinctions between different types of video games and different kinds of media, as the modern world provides us with a variety of choices.

 In other words, it is not about making our media free of violence. Moreover, it is about being aware of all the possible nuances and effects that this or that video game or type of media can have on children and try to choose the one that is appropriate for the children age, needs and level of proficiency.

Moreover, to the extent that it is possible, parents need to be mindful of what their children see and what games they play. Namely, parents should be able to create a “media diet” for their children to protect them from the harmful effects that media or video games can have on them. Furthermore, the same source: the media provides both positive and negative information. Thus, the success is guaranteed if parents teach their children how to make conscious choices.