Taylor 1

Lauren Taylor

Malcolm Campbell

UWRT 1104

4 April 2019

Through the Screen: Are Computers and Smart Phones Holding Children Back?

The world has gone from no phones and computers to those that can only be connected to

a wall to those that are considered “smarter” than most humans. So, what are the boundaries for

these smart phones and computers, especially when it comes to young children? These boundaries

that some may be anxious to learn about can be outlined as what is considered healthy to allow

and not allow to be in the grasp of children at certain ages. Many people with children or Deleted: Everyone

grandchildren, in recent years, have or should have at least thought of these questions at one point Deleted: questioned this

or another considering that the new generations coming into this world are who will sculpt the

future. The early stages of a child’s life are crucial when it comes to their health and learning how

to interact with others. Many psychologists and other scientists have done extended research on

this thought and have found a multitude of positive and negative results on what can be proven to

be healthy and not when a child is being raised around computers and smart phones and how it

could affect their development in social skills.

Most individuals can find it frightening to think about the fact that if the present generation Deleted: Most individuals today find it difficult to be able to
predict how the future generation of children are going to
handle face to face interactions once they get older
of children are being affected by technology, how bad will it be for future generations as

technology grows at such a rapid pace. I personally, wanted to go into depth in my research on

this topic as I plan to have my own children one day. My parents have no idea how to balance a Deleted: Not only do my parents not know what to tell me
about how to prepare for technologies involvement in my
child’s life, but I had zero idea before I read multiple articles,
child’s life when it pertains to technology, therefore this made me want to do even more research. journals, and more

Knowing more than my parents in this would not only make me feel more prepared for what to
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expect when I have children one day, but will make me feel more educated in something that they

are ignorant in. According to Bruce Feiler, an author from the New York Times, in his article “When

Tech Is a Problem Child”, children from ages three to thirteen use technology, particularly smart Deleted: the New York Times,

phone and computers, more than any other generation has before. Not that these advancements

are a bad thing; however, recent research has shown that they both have a high correlation with Deleted: ,

leading to less involvement in activities starting at a young age. According to Peter DeWitt in his

journal “Mobile Technologies Are Changing Young Children’s Social Interactions” from Deleted: a
Deleted: of Child Development
Education Week, teens and young children today are beginning to not be prepared for the adult Formatted: Font: Italic, Complex Script Font: Italic

world because they think that technology through a screen is the proper way to interact in the world, Deleted: and
Deleted: real
not face to face. This can be a problem considering that most jobs require at least some face to Deleted: ions
Deleted: needed
face conversations in order to sell certain products, gather information, come to conclusions, and
Deleted: their

more. Yes, every child has a different personality ranging from shy to extremely social, yet this

does not mean that these devices are any help in making certain personality types more extreme. Deleted: to making an introvert even more stand-off to
others
For example, a shy child may become more isolated when raised around smart phones from the

fact that the device tends to make most all children more anti-social in terms of face to face

interactions, stated by Education Week.

At a young age, it is made obvious and stated multiple times by the New York Times that Deleted: known

most, if not all, people play not only with others, but by themselves as well. As a child, it is crucial

to use one’s imagination. Not only does this help with preventing their own boredom, but it grows

connections between other children their age that later can lead to friendships. As an adolescent

is developing, friendships are what help them create social skills and communication techniques Deleted: a sense of

with others. If one does not have real world experiences with face to face interactions and just

hides behind a phone screen, how will they know later on how to properly have a conversation Deleted: know
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with teachers, fellow students, and more. Chris Rowan in his article “The Impact of Technology

on the Developing Child” from the Huffington Post in 2013 stated that the majority of children use Deleted: T

their phones and computers as their resource to play. This leads to them, for the most part, being

stuck inside and not thinking of things to create and do themselves. According to the same

Huffington Post article from Chris Rowan, instead of going and making friends, they are found to Formatted: Font: Italic, Complex Script Font: Italic
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stay away from social activities and dig their face in a screen. Creativity and imagination are

necessary to create the sensory and motor developments of a child at a young age. Chris Rowan

states that if these are not tackled correctly in their prime years as a toddler and young pre-teen, Deleted: I

then this could lead to a lack of social decency as well as behavior disorders. For example, many

of the repeated disorder that can result include anxiety disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity

disorder (ADHD), depression, and the list continues.

This leads to the concern that researchers have on the future of child health. Health is not

only physical, but also mental. Michael Ungar in “Teens and Dangerous Levels of Cell Phone

Use” from Psychology Today states that it has become common in society for some people to Deleted: I
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dismiss the negative emotional effects of smart phone use to a child. Caroline Miller from the Deleted: today
Deleted: T
Child Mind Institute in her article “Does Social Media Cause Depression” found that those in
Deleted: Clinical Psychological Science journal

grades eight to twelve that have an increased rate of social media use on their phones have had a

higher risk of being in a depressive and suicidal state. Depression is an extreme concept to talk Deleted: big
Deleted: think
about when thinking in terms of a child as it can possibly be frightening to think that a person so Deleted: of
Deleted: relating
young could have such a majorly unhealthy disease. No mother or father wants to hear that their
Deleted: to

daughter or son has a risk of harming themselves just from using a smart phone. This is a huge Deleted: the fact of

health concern that most individuals responded to and wanted to act on, according to Feiler in his

article “When Tech Is a Problem Child”, who is a well-known psychologist in the world of social
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media. He has done research to try to find positive ways to prevent an adolescent from using their Deleted: the ability of
Deleted: to use
device too often. Feiler constructed a survey on social media in 2016 that showed that the most Deleted: Through a survey on social media done by

effective ways to do so can be by putting a cap on the amount of time a phone or computer can be Deleted: , it was found that the most effective

used by a child, taking the devices away during times for homework or family time, turning off

wifi systems late at night, and more. Every parent has their own way of dealing with specific

issues and there is no right or wrong way to do things, these are just helpful suggestions that may

come in handy if one’s child becomes too attached to their phone from a professional, Feiler, that

has worked in the world of psychology and child development for years.

Speaking in terms of attachment, Common Sense Media in their article “New Report Finds

Teens Feel Addicted to Their Phones, Causing Tension at Home”, found that 72 percent of teens Deleted: was said to have

feel the need to respond to their notifications immediately. This came from the results of a survey

done at a high school where hundreds of students answered a series of questions, including if they

felt addicted to their smart phones. Many adolescents will say that they are not dependent on the

device, however 59 percent from that same media source admitted to having the feeling of

addiction when on their device. They have a sense of needing to reply to texts, comments, direct

messages, and more in the matter of minutes or they feel as if they are missing out or behind

everyone else in the world of social media. No addiction is healthy and is a major concern. This Deleted: in fact

study determines that smart phones can become an addictive object and are seen to become more

addictive in recent years as more studies, like this, are being constructed. Growing up always

having a phone attached to one’s hip can make responding in the matter of seconds seem crucial.

However, it is not. Becoming addicted to a phone can cause many issues other than just having

an “addiction”. If one is constantly on their phone this takes away from family time, homework,

school activities, clubs and sports. Research from Princeton University in 2000 showed that the Deleted: has shown
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increase of smart phone use causes an addictive personality relating to the device and that it will Deleted: this

lead to young children not participating in sports and other active events. Another study that is

similar to this was done through the U.S. National Library of Medicine where it was stated that 10

to 20 percent of adolescents have a risk of becoming technology dependent. By technology

dependent, it is meant that there is always a need to be near one’s smart phone, reply to messages

instantaneously, and have access to all tools online whenever they are desired to be used. This is

yet another negative effect that is evident from the overuse of phones and devices such as Deleted: spouting
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computers. According to the Huffington Post in 2013, obesity is a concern in the United States Deleted: a

already and if the future generations start to become less active than those currently, it could make

the health of society plummet.

On the other hand, a study was done on adolescent twins in Finland that compared body

mass index to the amount of time that was spent playing video games on a computer. It was found

in a 2007 study in the article “Are Computers and Cell Phone Use Associated with Body Mass

Index and Overweight? A Popular Study Among Twin Adolescents” by BMC Public Health that Deleted: study done
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there is no correlation to obesity and playing on a computer, but in fact is just a possible side effect Deleted: thought

to being overweight. There is no direct relationship that was found between weight gain and

computer use, however BMC Public Health does take into considering the fact that, for some

individuals, computer use could be a possible reason for less exercise which can then lead to weight

gain. The main things that were found to relate to obesity were involvement in physical activities

and what is in one’s diet. Many might try to argue this as other research from Princeton University

in 2000 has shown that use of computers leads to some children not involving themselves in sports

and exercise, but there are a multitude of studies that show both sides.
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Not only is obesity a huge physical health concern, but smart phone and computer

dependence can also lead a young influential child to have more serious psychological problems.

There are certain health concerns that can be seen as more serious than obesity as weight gain can

be prevented and/or later resolved, unlike some other diseases that are permanent and

unpreventable. In 2013, a Huffington Post article brought to attention the decline that has occurred

in recent years of imagination based on the fact of children being on their devices more than going

outside and playing. It states that the effects of this can be as dangerous as leading to the Deleted: here

development of sleep deprivation, anxiety, antisocial disorder, and more. These are serious issues Deleted: autism,

for a child to develop at such a young age, particularly before the age of seven. Studies are being

done to try to find solutions to prevent these issues. The main priority that almost all researchers

are finding is that no child should be allowed to access technology at any age younger than two.

The American Psychological Association backs this statement up as the first five years of a child’s

life can either be detrimental or prosperous based on how much time they are allowed to have in

front of a screen. As stated before by the Huffington Post, too much screen time can cause certain

disorders or learning setbacks. On the other hand, if screen time is limited and watched, it can be

fruitful.

Many educators, since computers have been permitted in school environments, use Formatted: Indent: First line: 0.5"

computers as a source of learning. Some examples of this use in elementary schools are for

learning to use a keyboard, spelling applications that have great visual representation to help

learners, and more. Matthew Lynch from Education Week Teacher outlines this in his article

“How Teachers Can and Should Use Technology in The Classroom”. Lynch goes on to define the

challenges that can come with technologies involvement in learning such as some teachers see

computer use in the classroom as impersonal. However, there are many benefits that come from
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computers in a learning environment. Lynch, as well as many educators that he has interviewed,

believe that technology should be used for its main purpose, to make things easier. Computers

have applications that can help children that are both visual and hands-on learners. There are

endless amounts of websites that teach in a variety of ways in order for each student’s needs to be

met. Just like a teacher, a computer is able to bring confidence to their learners as it can reward

them in a positive way for their accomplishments. This is seen as screen time being beneficial as

most kids enjoy the feeling of positive rewards and praise for doing things correctly, giving them

a sense of self-assurance.

This all seems scary and overwhelming, but it is not uncontrollable. The American

Psychological Association shares many possible ways to try to prevent a child from obtaining any

side effects from smart phone and computer use. They state that a child under eighteen months

should only be allowed to video chat and not have any other interactions with a device screen.

This is an exception as video chatting is still a type of face to face communication. It is not a

device that is being used to share pictures or send out messages but is just a conversation between

them and the individual on the other line. Video chatting has been seen by the American

Psychological Association to have no real negative impacts as it requires no interaction besides

verbal communication. It is also stated that any child from the age two to five should have a

limited amount of time with their device of around one hour a day. After the age of six, the Deleted: these researchers

American Psychological Association found that it is especially helpful to put limits on a child’s Deleted: have

phone and computer. These limits can come from a narrowing of what media sources that the Deleted:
Deleted: or
adolescent can use and as well as how long that they are allowed be on them. This is all just like Deleted: they
Deleted: can
the research found from psychologist Feiler. There is a consistent observation of how one can

prevent a child from becoming dependent, anti-social, and unhealthy when relating to the use of
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smart phones and computers. There is a common misconception in the world today that the

development of children is soon to be ruined, but it is all about limitations. Any child can grow to

have negative traits; however, it is up to their parents and those around them to teach them how

not to gain these qualities.

Everything must be put into moderation. Technology is also a great thing for the

developing child. From online applications that help with learning to websites that teach children

how to read and speak proper grammar, these devices are not all that bad. Continuing with the

findings from the American Psychological Association in 2015, a child is ignorant in the fact of Deleted: vulnerable

knowing what is “right” to access and what is “wrong” to access on the internet. Parents should Deleted: to learn
Deleted: use
allow their children to learn through the use of applications, but in a controlled way. One must Deleted: not right
Deleted: use
talk to their child about what is allowed and not allowed to be used and what good online behavior
Deleted: accessed

looks like. For children, the “right” use of computer can be considered to be educational websites,

applications that have games that are age appropriate (non-violent), Google when it comes to

learning purposes, and other boundaries that can be set by individual parents as to what they

believe to be “appropriate”. People have questioned if technology should even be used before

the age of ten, and it should be considering that the American Psychological Association expressed Deleted: .

that a child’s first five to seven years are crucial when it comes to developing properly so that no

later disorders arise. Teachers, schools, clubs, and more all use smart phones and computers to

communicate and help adolescents grow.

This all helps in expanding on the face of if smart phones and computers are altering the

way in which children are developing into certain skills. From social skills to weight problems, it

is all relevant as the newest generations are facing struggles that no other generation has had to

deal with before as it relates to technology. As these devices continue to progress and the world
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remains changing, more research is needed to be done each year to determine the real side effects,

but also benefits, that life through a screen can bring. With all of this being said, I now feel better

prepared for what to expect for the most part when I have my own children and how to raise them

in this technology focused world. Deleted: ¶

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Works Cited

Campbell, Leah. “How Smart Phones Are Causing Kids to Experience ‘Altered Childhoods.’”

Healthline, Healthline Media, 2018, https://www.healthline.com/health-news/smart-

phones-causing-kids-to-experience-altered-childhoods#1. Accessed 19 Feb. 2019.

“New Report Find Teens Feel Addicted to Their Phones, Causing Tension at Home.” Commone

Sense Media, Common Sense Media, 3 May 2016,

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/news/press-releases/new-report-finds-

teens-feel-addicted-to-their-phones-causing-tension-at. Accessed 18 Apr. 2019.

DeWitt, Peter. “Mobile Technologies Are Changing Young Children’s Social Interactions.”

Education Week, Editorial Projects in Education, 17 Jun. 2017,

https://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/finding_common_ground/2018/06/mobile_technologies

_are_changing_young_childrens_social_interactions.html. Accessed 19 April 2019.

“Digital Guidelines: Promoting Healthy Technology Use for Children.” American Psychological

Association, American Psychological Association, 2015.

https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/digital-guidelines. Accessed 27 Mar. 2019.

Feiler, Bruce. “When Tech is a Problem Child.” The New York Times, The New York

Times, 2016, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/fashion/children-technology-

limits-smartphones.html. Accessed 21 Feb. 2019.

Gentile, Anderson, et al. “Television and Video Game Exposure and the Development of

Attention Problems.” National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National

Library of Medicine, 2010. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6361300/.

Accessed 27 Mar. 2019.

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Lajunen, Hanna-Reetta, et al. “Are Computers and Cell Phone Use Associated with Body Mass

Index and Overweight? A Popular Study Among Twin Adolescents.” BMC Public

Health, BioMed Central Ltd., 2007,

https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-7-24. Accessed

1 Mar. 2019.

Miller, Caroline. “Does Social Media Cause Depression.” Child Mind Institute, Child Mind Formatted: French
Formatted: French
Institute, 2019, https://childmind.org/article/is-social-media-use-causing-depression/. Formatted: English (US)

Accessed 19 Apr. 2019.

Rowan, Chris. “The Impact of Technology on the Developing Child.” The Huffington Post, The

Huffington Post, 2013. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/technology-children-negative-

impact_n_3343245. Accessed 26 Mar. 2019.

Subrahmanyam, Kaveri, et al. “The Impact of Home Computer Use on Children’s Activities and

Development.” The Future of Children, Princeton University, 2000,

https://www.jstor.org/stable/1602692?casa_token=QlDGgr0qQFIAAAAA:tw7SJd2t9uhe

qOGoV6HcA03MyLiagmDXY_iAVvaGwvcid3MznqT1HcFA_86KygGf2wdUttIElRH3

LY-

PuXl6Q4z68G0EV5jOTmWlH6Q7cETPkJdSFQ&seq=2#metadata_info_tab_contents.

Accessed 14 Feb. 2019.

Taylor, Jim. “How Technology is Changing the Way Children Think and Focus.” Psychology

Today, Sussex Publishers, 2019, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-power- Formatted: Font: Not Italic, Complex Script Font: Not Italic
Formatted: Font: Not Italic, Complex Script Font: Not Italic
prime/201212/how-technology-is-changing-the-way-children-think-and-focus. Accessed

19 Apr. 2019.
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Ungar, Michael. “Teens and Dangerous Levels of Cell Phone Use.” Psychology Today, Sussex

Publishers, 16 Jan. 2018, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/nurturing-

resilience/201801/teens-and-dangerous-levels-cell-phone-use. Accessed 20 Apr. 2019.