Children, Media, and Society

Leonard A. Jason and Ilana M. Barach note the increasing levels and variety of media exposure in children's lives. Their review of The Handbook of Children, Media, and Development notes the complex issues involved in assessing the impact of media exposure on child development. The Handbook discusses the fact that media can "encourage short-term and long-term violence and aggression in children, but it can also initiate prosocial behavior."

Given the complexity of the issues, the limited research on the long-term impact of new media, and multiple media exposure on child development, does psychology have enough data to weigh in on what represents quality, developmentally appropriate media? Are American children at risk in our media-rich environment?

Read the Review

Kids and the Media: What We Know and What We Need to Learn
By Leonard A. Jason [and] Ilana M. Barach
      PsycCRITIQUES, 2009 Vol 54(13)