While one school of thought holds that it is the duration over which young viewers sit in front of the television that affects their behavioral development, some assert that the impacts which TV contents have on shaping how they act and think is more notable. This essay attempts to shed light on both perspectives before concluding that I am in favor of the latter notion.
On the one hand, screen time could give rise to a host of implications for children’s early development. First and foremost, spending an excessive amount of time watching TV programs could encourage their reluctance to participate in physical activities. As a result, children may stand a greater chance of contracting severe illnesses, such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and high blood pressure, to name but a few, which is attributable to sedentary lifestyle. Secondly, this tendency could also impede the development of young children’s social skills. For example, Vietnamese young audiences tend to spend most of their time watching television rather than going out and engaging in conversations with their friends and families, which is the driving factor behind children’s lack of interpersonal skills.
On the other hand, I am convinced that the aforementioned effects pale in comparison with the impacts of the contents children see on TV because of a number of compelling reasons. One key rationale in favor of this view is that the young tend to mimic whatever captivates them, and the attention-grabbing nature of television facilitates this tendency.
This perception could be reinforced by the fact that small kids are quick to parrot catchphrases on their favorite shows or the lyrics of a catchy jungle. Another justification is that graphic movies can easily impart to preteen viewers a variety of immodest and provocative ideas. For instance, display of violence could instigate aggressive behaviors, while nudity could incite premature interest in the opposite sex.
In conclusion, while it is irrefutable that what children see on TV and how much they watch it both affect their moral code and belief system, I would contend that the former’s influence is significantly more profound than the latter.