Posted on 10/06/2005 1:10:36 AM PDT by Crackingham
Watching TV may damage children's brain development leading to increased anti-social behaviour, new research claims. There is also a correlation between the amount of television children watch and the degree of educational damage they suffer, according to the report by Dr Aric Sigman, who is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. And significant long term damage occurs even at so-called modest levels of viewing - between one and two hours a day, the report, entitled Remotely Controlled, says.
Children now spend more time watching a TV screen than they spend in school, but viewing even a moderate amount can dramatically increase their risk of myopia, slow down their metabolic rate and may trigger premature puberty, according to Dr Sigman. It was also found to lead to a "significantly elevated risk" of sleep problems in adulthood, causing hormone changes, which in turn directly increase appetite and body fat production and damage the immune system leading to a greater vulnerability to cancer,
While the average Briton watches four hours of TV a day, children aged 11-15 spend seven and a half hours a day watching TV and computers - an increase of 40% in a decade -the scientist claims. More than half of three-year-olds have a TV set in their bedrooms and the average six-year-old will have already watched nearly one full year of their lives.
Dr Sigman said: "A 'dose-response relationship' between the amount of television children watch and the degree of educational damage they suffer is now emerging which has 'biological plausibility'.
"Television viewing is also now linked with stunting brain development in the child's frontal lobes leading to reduced impulse control and increased antisocial behaviour.
"Teachers are under pressure to vie for the child's attentional resources which have been damaged by exposure to fast changing screen images. This leaves teachers facing a generation of children who find it more difficult to pay attention and thereby learn but also exhibit poor self-restraint and anti-social behaviour," Dr Sigman added.
I recall telling a friend back in 1984 how music videos would have a much greater impact if they were accompanied by visual images that flew by at a speed people's brains could barely comprehend. It didn't occur to me that that might be a bad thing for a segment of the population - I was just thinking of the earlier efforts toward subliminal advertising.
From my experience, TV also seems to be decreasing the IQs of adults as well.
My favorite television stunt is convincing people they actually have to watch TV.
I'd prefer the opposite. I enjoy challenging stunts.
I prefer the rockettes.
Sorry, old joke.
Ya think?
Sorry, I don't know the joke.
Doesn't matter. it's not suitable for prime time or a family site.
Yeah, blame it on TV, music videos, video games, Bush, etc. Anything but proper parenting; heaven forbid we should blame anything on the parents.
Ah.
No, I always blame the parents.
Watching TV may hurt toddlers' attention spans
Researchers say there is 'no safe level' of viewing
(American Academy of Pediatrics - US Study)
April 5, 2004
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4664749
From my experience, TV also seems to be decreasing
the IQs of adults as well.
3 posted on 10/06/2005 4:32:01 AM EDT by durasell
Yes, but that's a deliberate liberal social engineering conspiracy.
Actually, it is done for business - not political - reasons. Advertisers don't want critical thinking anywhere near their commercials.
Yes, the television show Friends is certainly part of the gay agenda. It makes being heterosexual so unappealing, people are bound to reconsider their options.
But I would not be surprised if quality shows with good plots and character developement actually increased a child's intelligence.
That would be an interesting experiment. I don't know whether it would turn out that way or whether television is an inherently unhealthy medium.
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