The Impact of Home Computer Use on Children's Activities and Development

Subrahmanyam, Kaveri; Kraut, Robert E.; Greenfield, Patricia M.; Gross, Elisheva F.

doi:10.2307/1602692

Cited by 326 publications

(277 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…We do not attempt to evaluate any of the impacts of computer use, because up to this point, the effects of computer use on children's social development cannot be predicted precisely (e.g. Subrahmanyam et al, 2000). 4.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Causes and Trends of the Digital Divide

Korupp

Szydlik

2005

European Sociological Review

192

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Causes and Trends of the Digital Divide

Korupp

Szydlik

2005

European Sociological Review

192

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“…-------------------- Table 7 about here ----------------Having found that access to a computer increases children's total 'screen time', apparently at the expense of other social activities and sports, Subrahmanyam et al (2000) identified a combination of negative and positive effects of computer access, going some way to justify parental anxieties in relation to the domestic regulation of new media. Furthermore, the risks of online communication are becoming increasingly clear (Turow and Ribak, forthcoming;Wolak et al, 2003;Livingstone and Bober, submitted).…”

Section: Providing Media At Homementioning

confidence: 95%

Strategies of parental regulation in the media-rich home

Livingstone

2007

Computers in Human Behavior

148

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This document is the author's final manuscript version of the journal article, incorporating any revisions agreed during the peer review process. Some differences between this version and the publisher's version remain. You are advised to consult the publisher's version if you wish to cite from it. 2 Abstract This paper investigates practices of domestic regulation of media within the family, focusing on parental attempts to manage children's access to and use of new media, while also recognising that these have consequences for children's attempts to manage their own access to and use of media, even if this means tactics to evade parental control. Theoretically, the paper seeks to integrate the specific literature on domestic rules and regulation of media use with the broader literature on the rules and roles in social situations, arguing that parental strategies in relation to domestic media reveal both the enactment of and the negotiations over the typically informal and implicit rules and roles in family life. These issues are explored using data from two surveys: (1) the 'Young People, New Media' project surveyed 1300 children and their parents, examining the social, relational and contextual factors that shape the ways in which families develop rules for managing the introduction of the personal computer and the multiplication of television sets, among other new media changes, in the home; (2) the 'UK Children Go Online' project surveyed 1500 children and their parents, updating the picture by examining the introduction of the internet into the family home. On the basis of these data, it is argued that despite the 'newness' of media as they successively arrive in the home, there are considerable consistencies over time in the responses of families, it being the slow-to-change relations between parents and children that shape patterns of domestic regulation and use. KeywordsNew media Parental mediation Children Television Personal computer Internet Social situations 3 New media in the family homeA family eats supper in front of the television, laughing at shared jokes, arguing over who holds the remote control, comfortable on the sofa together. A teenage girl argues with her parents over which video she and her friends are allowed to watch at a forthcoming sleepover party, resulting in her slamming her bedroom door and turning on some loud music. A mother and father cannot decide where to put the new computer in their already-crowded home -does it go best in the living room or their son's bedroom, and what difference will this make to family life? As each new medium successively arrives in the home (radio, television, games machines, personal computer, internet, mobile phone), it attracts widespread public attention, sometimes excited, sometimes anxious. This is expressed in the national media, in political and community fora and, the focus of this article, the attitudes and practices in the home among family members.If the personal computer and its associated innovations (multimedia, digitisation, interact...

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“…The anonymity of the Internet may provide the opportunity to seek information that a child or teenager would be hesitant to ask in person. There is some suggestion that the information obtained online by adolescent girls may actually encourage better sexual decision making (Subrahmanyam et al 2000).…”

Section: Cognitive Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Principles for the wise use of computers by children

2009

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Computer use by children at home and school is now common in many countries. Child computer exposure varies with the type of computer technology available and the child's age, gender and social group. This paper reviews the current exposure data and the evidence for positive and negative effects of computer use by children. Potential positive effects of computer use by children include enhanced cognitive development and school achievement, reduced barriers to social interaction, enhanced fine motor skills and visual processing and effective rehabilitation. Potential negative effects include threats to child safety, inappropriate content, exposure to violence, bullying, Internet 'addiction', displacement of moderate/vigorous physical activity, exposure to junk food advertising, sleep displacement, vision problems and musculoskeletal problems. The case for child specific evidence-based guidelines for wise use of computers is presented based on children using computers differently to adults, being physically, cognitively and socially different to adults, being in a state of change and development and the potential to impact on later adult risk. Progress towards child-specific guidelines is reported. Finally, a set of guideline principles is presented as the basis for more detailed guidelines on the physical, cognitive and social impact of computer use by children. The principles cover computer literacy, technology safety, child safety and privacy and appropriate social, cognitive and physical development. The majority of children in affluent communities now have substantial exposure to computers. This is likely to have significant effects on child physical, cognitive and social development. Ergonomics can provide and promote guidelines for wise use of computers by children and by doing so promote the positive effects and reduce the negative effects of computer-child, and subsequent computer-adult, interaction.

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The Impact of Home Computer Use on Children's Activities and Development

Cited by 326 publications

References 31 publications

Causes and Trends of the Digital Divide

Causes and Trends of the Digital Divide

Strategies of parental regulation in the media-rich home

Principles for the wise use of computers by children

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