Exposure to Television may Slow Preschoolers Cognitive Development

Too much of anything isn't good for anyone, and that's certainly true for preschoolers and television. When it comes to sitting in front of a screen hours on end, children's cognitive development can be greatly delayed.

Researchers from the Ohio State University interviewed and tested 107 children and their parents in order to determine the relationship between preschoolers' television exposure and their understanding of mental states. Parents of the children involved in the study were asked to report on how many hours of television their children were typically exposed to each day, and then given tasks that benefited intentions and feelings based on theory of mind. Researchers used these tasks in order to test whether children could acknowledge different beliefs and desires that may be wrong or stem from different belief systems.

They found that having a television in the bedroom was typically related to more background TV and a weaker understanding of mental states. Yet researchers noted that preschoolers whose parents talked with them regarding TV performed better when it came to theory mind assessments.

As previous studies have examined the effects of children's TV exposure on their social behaviors, some have failed to determine if such exposure delays neurophysical function that may underline social behavior.

The study suggests that too much TV can greatly impair mind development and is partly responsible for disruptive social behaviors as well.

"When children achieve a theory of mind, they have reached a very important milestone in their social and cognitive development," lead researcher Nathanson said, via a press release. "Children with more developed theories of mind are better able to participate in social relationships. These children can engage in more sensitive, cooperative interactions with other children and are less likely to resort to aggression as a means of achieving goals."

More information regarding the study can be found via the journal Addiction.