American and French researchers have sought to understand the context in which children under the age of 3 watch videos. They observed the impact on their cognitive development.
68% of children under 2 watch TV every day
Researchers from the University of Portsmouth and Paris Nanterre have worked on the impact of screens on thecognitive development of young children. Their study was published in the magazine Frontiers in Psychology. Today, 68% of children under the age of two watch television in France every day, with an average time of 40 minutes. Only half of the programs watched are educational…
Babies don’t learn new words from screens
The researchers note that toddlers between 12 and 18 months did not learn any words through a video, unlike in a situation of interaction with the adult. Additionally, look at the 2 hour television per day between 15 and 48 months multiply by four the probability of a retard development of speech.
viewing conditions
American and French researchers have pointed three harmful factors related to viewing conditions:
- when the content of the video is not not specifically adapted at their age,
- without adult who can explain or interact,
- when the television is background (during another activity for example).
“Therefore, it is not the fact of looking at screens in itself that determines developmental effectsbut rather the viewing context“, explain the researchers.
Screens in every home
The researchers are realistic: “Screens are impossible to remove from houses and gradually make their way into the school systems. It is imperative to inform families of children under the age of 3 of the risks associated with prolonged exposure to viewing screens in the wrong context.
Screens can be beneficial if…
“When the screen content is age appropriate of a child, it is likely to have a positive effect, particularly when designed to encourage l’interaction“, they report. This is the case of a program designed specifically for their age with a adult at their side who asks, for example, what the characters on the screen are saying.
Source : Effects of screen exposure on young children’s cognitive development: A review, Frontiers in PsychologyAugust 17, 2022,