Some individuals are of the opinion that watching TV programs can heavily affect children behaviorally. Others, nevertheless, claim that the duration of watching has a more consequential role in modifying the behaviors of adolescents. Although both schools of thought offer merit, I agree more with the former/latter perspective due to some reasons that are elucidated in this essay.
On the one hand, there are some reasons that explain why some people think that the content of TV programs plays a significant role in changing the behaviors of children. On the one hand, it has been proven that exposure to violence, aggression, or other problematic behaviors in a long-term basis could desensitize children from these acts, potentially leading to imitation. This could manifest an antisocial behaviors that could eventually result in the commitment of erratic actions that devastate a person’s entire future. On the other hand, educational content that is prevalent in many TV programs can still provide precious knowledge for children. According to a recent research, around 30% of children’s knowledge comes from watching television.
Opponents of the previous view, on the other hand, claim that the duration of watching is the main culprit behind the ability to modify children’s behaviors of TV programs. In order for children to develop optimally, a balance between multiple factors, including spending time learning, interacting with peers, and having memories with parents, are required. Unfortunately, when children allocate excessive amounts of time to watching TV programs, their availability would plunge, causing them to socially withdraw from interactions and decreasing the frequency of physical exercises. Thus, the impact of watching television extensively is negative and should be addressed by parents or teachers.
In conclusion, although there are mixed opinions on determining whether the content of TV programs or the time spent on watching them is the main factor that alters children’s behavior, I believe that the interplay between both of them would significantly change adolescents behaviorally. While content can positively or negatively affect children, spending too much time watching programs on TV could deprive children of the time that they are supposed to interact with other or improve their physical and academic capabilities.