SEP 02, 2020

Electronic Media Use Linked to Lower Academic Performance

WRITTEN BY: Nouran Amin

A recent study revealed that heavy electronic media use is linked to lower academic performance in children 8- to 11-year olds old.

Findings were published in PLOS ONE.

Similar studies from earlier attempts found an association between electronic media use and obesity, poor sleep, and other health risks. In comparison, these studies also found a strong link between electronic media use and better access to information, tech skills, and social connection. Despite these studies, no research group was able to pinpoint an association between electronics and lower academic performance—until the PLOS ONE study.

Learn more about electronic media usage in children:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P41_nyYY3Zg

The study found that found two plus hours of television per day at the age of 8 or 9 was linked with lower reading performance in comparison to peers. Such difference was comparable to the loss of four months of learning.

Authors of the study noted, "The debate about the effects of modern media on children's learning has never been more important given the effects of today's pandemic on children's use of time. This is the first large, longitudinal study of electronic media use and learning in primary school children, and results showed heavier users of television and computers had significant declines in reading and numeracy two years later compared with light users."

If you're on YouTube, people can get extremely distracted and obsessed to the point of buying views for their accounts! This obsession ultimately results in lower academic grades.

Source: Science Daily