University of Iowa researchers have discovered that background TV is not only bad for children, but when you do allow them to watch the box, the programming should always stimulate their interest in learning.
Background TV, defined as a television playing when a child is not watching, can easily divert a kid’s attention from learning and other activities, such as playing. The study also found that non-educational programs can negatively affect children’s cognitive development. The results stemmed from a national survey of more than 1,150 families with children between ages two and eight years old.
“Kids are going to learn from whatever you put in front of them,” says Deborah Linebarger, UI associate professor in education. “So what kinds of messages, what kinds of things do you want them to learn? That would be the kinds of media you’d purposefully expose them to.”
Linebarger and her research team found a relationship between the type of content children are exposed to and their executive function. This was found to be especially true amongst children in families identified as “high risk”; families living in poverty or families whose parents have little to no formal education.
Her advice to combat background TV and its potential effects? “Sit down to watch a particular show and when it’s done, turn it off,” Linebarger says.