The Role of the Media in the Development of Children

Dr. Kosa, Eva

Young people's intensive use of the media and the models characteristic to them shape their idea of reality and the norms of the social world as well as what defines socially acceptable behaviour. These in turn influence the behaviour, thought patterns, emotional life, stereotypes, sexuality and identity of a developing personality.

The age of the viewer influences the interpretation of what is seen on television, thus children regard events and actors on TV in very different ways. Children's judgements of the formal characteristics and structural elements of programmes and the personalities of the actors play an important role in their perceptions.

The extent to which children understand subject matter seen on TV is related to their intellectual development and to the loosening of egocentric thinking and perceptual constraint. Plainly, adults play a major role in shaping children's relationship to the media in establishing a selective media usage. Parental explanations may also play an important role in developing a more critical viewer attitude by drawing comparisons between televised representation and reality.

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