What Kids Watch on TV, Not How Long, Can Improve Behavior

Focus on the content, not the hours spent

Concentrating on what kids are watching on television instead of how long they are watching it may better their behavior, according to a report in the journal Pediatrics. Because children absorb their surroundings, mimicking the actions of not only their parents, but what they see on screen, researchers explored ways to influence what shows they watch so that they’re more apt to imitate quality conduct. Over 600 families with kids between the ages of 3 and 5 participated in the study; half swapped more aggressive and violent TV content for shows like "Dora the Explorer" and "Sesame Street" that encourage kindness, problem-solving, and tolerance for diversity. Six months after the study began, the children who increased their pro-social viewing acted less aggressively, showed more sharing and respectful behaviors, and were more apt to compromise and cooperate than children who didn’t change their viewing content. Low-income boys got the biggest boost in behavior. “They derived the greatest benefit, which is interesting because they are most at risk of being victims and perpetrators of aggression,” said Dimitri Christakis, lead author. (TIME)

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