Unit 4, #21 - Media

4/30/2026 - ABSC Lecture

Adolescent Homework Time (USA)

U.S. adolescents spend about 6 hours weekly on homework

Adolescent Homework Time (Finland)

Finnish adolescents spend less than 3 hours weekly on homework

Adolescent Homework Time (Russia)

Russian adolescents spend about 10 hours weekly on homework

Adolescent Homework Time (Shanghai)

Shanghai adolescents spend about 14 hours weekly on homework

Free Play Decline

U.S. kids have less free play due to safety concerns

Free Play Participation

Only about half of young kids and one-quarter of teens engage in free play

Media Use vs. Outdoor Time

As children age, electronic media use increases while time outdoors decreases

Nature-Deficit Disorder

A term by Richard Louv describing negative impacts from reduced time in nature

Nature-Deficit Disorder Concerns

Linked to behavioral issues, physical concerns, and reduced environmental awareness

Nature-Deficit Disorder Skepticism

Not a formal diagnosis and correlation does not equal causation

Nature-Deficit Disorder Limitations

Individual variation and limited research reduce scientific certainty

Screen Time Under Age 2

Children under 2 average 42 minutes of screen time daily

Mobile Media Use Under 3

About 65% of children under 3 use mobile media daily

AAP Recommendation Under 18–24 Months

Avoid all screen media except supervised video chat

AAP Recommendation Ages 2–5

Limit to 1 hour of high‑quality screen time per day

Media Use Ages 8–12

School‑aged children use ~5 hours of entertainment screen media daily

Reading Time Ages 8–12

Only about 1 hour per day is spent reading books or magazines

Benefits of Media

Provides access to information, connection, collaboration, and social support

Teen Smartphone Access

About two‑thirds own smartphones by age 12 and nearly all teens have access

Teen Screen Time

Teens average over 7.5 hours of entertainment screen media daily

Teen Reading Time

Teens read only about 1.5 hours daily and one‑third read for pleasure monthly

Teen Phone Use at Night

About two‑thirds keep phones near their bed and one‑third use them at night

Most Used Teen Platforms

Teens most commonly use YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat

Decline of Facebook Use

Teen Facebook use has dropped sharply since 2014–15

Screen Time & Obesity Risk

Highest screen‑time teens are 1.27 times more likely to develop overweight/obesity

Language Learning in Infancy

Children do NOT learn language better from educational TV

Best Language Learning Method

Reading to infants improves language skills more than TV

Background TV Exposure

Kids under 3 are exposed to an average of 5.5 hours/day of background TV

Effects of Background TV

Distracts toddlers from play and social interaction even if they don’t understand the show

Educational App Limitations

Many apps lack evidence, rely on memorization, and aren’t based on child development research

Entertainment Media & School Performance

More entertainment TV is linked to worse school performance

Why Entertainment Media Hurts Schooling

It takes time away from healthier activities and distracts from homework

Student Attention Span

Students focus on schoolwork for less than six minutes before getting distracted

Extracurricular Benefits

Activities help kids pursue interests, gain skills, and interact with positive adults

Activity Participation Trends

Despite concerns, children’s participation rates have changed little over recent years

Positive Youth Development

An approach focused on helping youth thrive rather than emphasizing problems

Five Cs of PYD

Competence, Confidence, Connection, Character, and Caring/Compassion

Key Aspects of PYD

Focus on strengths, growth opportunities, supportive environments, and asset building

Role of Athletic Coaches

Coaches can be positive role models but many lack training in child development

Mastery Approach to Coaching

Teaches coaches to create positive, improvement‑focused environments

Feedback Sandwich

A method using a positive comment, constructive feedback, and a closing positive statement

Mentor Definition

A trusting relationship with a nonparental adult who supports positive development

Natural Mentor

A mentoring relationship that forms spontaneously rather than through a formal program

Mentorship Programs

Programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters provide structured mentoring relationships