1/5: Introduction to the Impact of Technology on Early Childhood Development
As society has developed, so have the many forms of technology. Not only have they increased in variety, but they have also increased in accessibility towards children all around the world, in many diverse socio-economical tiers in the community. The modes of technology can be categorized into various types, each serving different purposes and functionalities. These different digital services/features can be operated from physical devices such as smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, smartwatches, and more. Here are some common modes of technology:
Television
Social Media Platforms
Streaming Services
Gaming Consoles
E-books and E-readers
Virtual Reality
Augmented Reality
It is clear that technological advances have had both positive and negative effects. In a research article, positive aspects of digital technology were highlighted with thorough evidence (Aaron Haddock et al., 2022). An interesting outcome was how increased video game time correlated with ‘enhanced working memory function’ and ‘task-difficulty-dependent modulation’, essentially meaning a better ability to remember and work with information and adapt cognitive processes depending on how challenging the task is, respectively. Additionally, there was a linkage to the emergence of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Regarding social media, there were brain regions associated with the remembrance of 'name-face associations' and the cultivation of online social networks. These findings are backed up by loads of empirical evidence, which we will delve into in section 3/5 of early brain patterns.
Regarding these modes, one of the most prevalent ones among children is the use of different forms of social media. Deciding when it is appropriate for a child to start using social media can be tricky. Nowadays, social media is designed to engage users through scrolling algorithms, quite literally meant to program individuals to stay on their app (Scrolling Paralysis, n.d.). The term 'scrolling paralysis' has been coined for individuals caught in this cycle, often attributed to factors like FOMO (fear of missing out), boredom, or a psychological trap. Let's first delve into some data that helps us understand the spread of youth users across various social media platforms and the revenue generated from ads targeted at this demographic.
American Youth Across Various Platforms
As observed, millions of youth are present on various social media platforms (Raffoul et al., 2023) There has been an increase in online activity, with reports indicating that nearly 50% of youth are now online 'almost constantly.' The impact of COVID-19 has played a significant role in this shift, as almost everything moved online during months of restricted in-person contact. Even now, online platforms continue to be extensively used for meetings conducted over Zoom, the prevalence of remote work, and the lingering 'hangover' from the months of increased online presence, which has almost become a normality for some individuals.
The increased variability for ages 13-17, however, in platforms where actions like posting, liking, and enhanced communication among peers are prevalent, is a notable trend (Raffoul et al., 2023). As mentioned earlier, this trend has the potential for community building and instilling a sense of belonging. However, there exists a fine line between these positive aspects and potential issues such as comparison and envy, which can lead to lower self-esteem and confidence. While a healthy use of social media can bring about positive outcomes, as we will explore, there are traps that are often encountered, leading to unhealthy usage and, consequently, negative consequences associated with social media.
This is why formats like reels have become so popular on social media. TikTok started this trend, and it has now been implemented on almost every platform. The concept of these short clips, often under a minute long, is simple to use and very stimulating, which is why it has become so popular. As users engage with it for months, they start to reduce their attention span because they are so accustomed to encountering new content every minute. This continual exposure essentially 'fries' the brain and neurotransmitter receptors. This can often lead to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and for a child in development, it can impact various aspects of their life.
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Language Development: Before the age of 2, extensive use of digital media, particularly without parental interaction, can potentially delay the development of vocabulary skills.
Executive Function: High media use in early childhood can make it harder for preschoolers to do things like staying focused, controlling themselves, handling emotions, and thinking creatively.
Learning from Screens: Using phones or tablets to learn can be beneficial, but it's tough for children to use what they learn in the real world. Therefore, parental involvement during media use is crucial for effective learning.
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Parent-Child Interaction: Excessive media use can decrease parent–child interaction.
Dependence on Media: Excessive media exposure from an early age might influence the child's dependence on digital media, potentially affecting their independence building.
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Sleep Disruption: Media exposure, especially in the evening, correlates with shorter nighttime sleep duration in infants. Arousing content and blue light from screens can disrupt sleep patterns.
Early social media use can lower a child’s self-esteem through constant comparison. As this happens when they are younger, it may become the ‘norm’ for them as they grow up.
Media as a Soothing Strategy: Parents using media as the sole calming strategy may lead to problems with limit setting and hinder the child's development of self-regulation.
Above, we explored some impacts on early development that could occur due to technology and its evolving nature. While it's clear that technology has great benefits and is genuinely revolutionary, serving as a valuable aid to our lives when used appropriately, there are times when we are unaware of how it controls us. This is when the negatives heavily outweigh the positives. When used moderately and when needed, technology can be a great tool, but losing control over it, letting it control us, becomes a blindfold. This is particularly impactful for us as humans, especially children in their early development.
Moving forward in our journey, we will delve into different theoretical frameworks of early childhood development and it’s relevance towards technology and screens. This exploration will provide us with various perspectives on this topic, helping us better understand where technology truly impacts the process of child development.
Onwards!
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Onwards! 〰️
Zooming into activity from ages 0-12, we observe a significant dominance of users on YouTube, followed by a lower yet more evenly spread presence on the other five social media platforms (Raffoul et al., 2023). We will delve into the concept of the 'black hole of scrolling' shortly. First, however, let's introduce the concept of 'monetization' and how companies have capitalized on this opportunity. This will set the framework for our upcoming discussion.
Annual Earnings From Ads Across Various Platforms
Obviously, we observe a pattern of increased spending as youth get older. This may be attributed to their growing freedom, obtaining jobs as they age, and encountering heavier monetization. Various factors contribute to the trend of youth spending more money. However, when we examine the amount of money generated through social media platforms, it becomes insane. Children in the age range of 0-12 are cumulatively spending nearly 1 billion on platforms such as YouTube and Instagram (Raffoul et al., 2023). Credit can be given to companies that cleverly set up personalized feeds to target younger, more easily persuadable minds. Information is often considered the most valuable asset on the planet. With these companies gathering vast amounts of information through observing children's preferences on the app, tracking likes and dislikes, and identifying trends and patterns, they can customize each individual's page to keep them engaged on the app and, hopefully, prompt them to ask their parents to buy something they saw online.
Isn't this all a bit jaw-dropping? Let's take a quick break and watch a video to help explain the importance of this:
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As we can observe, companies employ highly advanced algorithms designed to target the brain, influencing our emotions in specific ways. Once there is a heightened sense of extreme emotion, it leaves us vulnerable and more willing to purchase a product associated with that feeling. As we age, we learn how to better process these emotions, preventing them from controlling our decisions to spend money on the platform. However, children are more malleable, lacking this sense of control and often being prompted to take action by the sensations they experience. This becomes a focal point for demographic targeting by social media companies, especially for kids on their platforms, which can be dangerous as it hooks them onto the app.
Not only is this large-scale targeting focused on the young demographic, but the addiction it causes significantly impacts their cognitive, social, and emotional development (Scrolling Paralysis, n.d.). We can understand this addiction through what is called 'scrolling paralysis,' as mentioned before. If you've ever felt sluggish while scrolling but continued for no reason, it is due to the social media algorithm calibrating your brain to persist. Often, your brain releases dopamine, making you feel good, and as a result, you continue to scroll in the hope of coming across an interesting post. Unfortunately, this often wastes time, and it is particularly detrimental for children who may then develop cognitive, social, and emotional handicaps.
