Television has mesmerized people of all ages since the time it was created (Leigh 2001). Currently, in developed countries, more than ninety percents of families are evaluated to have at least one television set (Sharif 1999). In American Time Use Survey (2003), it is calculated that most of women and men spent their leisure time watching television. The result clearly shows that people have been watching television extensively. This is further affirmed by the UK Time Use Survey (2004) that approximated about one and a half hour to three hours per day had been spent by people on television, video and radio. Lots of people have evinced their concern about this issue as it affects the development of children. Some people said that television brings tonnes of benefit to humankind; however, I strongly believed that television brings more negative effects as it disrupts the development of the thinking process of children, creates health problem and triggers behavioural problems.
First and foremost, television influences the development of the thinking process of children. Nowadays, there a lot of unsuitable children programs aired by the television. These programs stimulate the development of short attention spans in children through their brief segments and flashy appearance. Children are prone to believe what they saw on television as they are at a stage on developing their mind. Thus, programs that always show problems are solved within thirty minutes embolden children to think that all problems are easily solved. Later, they will be easily disappointed and give up when they faced a difficult situation in their real life (Sharif 1999). According to Dr. Jones, television viewing is a passive activity. By watching television, children do not acquire imaginative skills which are essential in enhancing problem-solving and organizational ability (Leigh 2001). Thus, all of these effects lead to disruption in the development of the thinking process of children.
Beside this, viewing of television for a long period leads to health problems. People need to stay in front of television in order to watch it. As a result, people are not being physically active through this kind of indoor activity (Sharif 1999). People rather flick between channels to find interesting programs rather than switch it off. It then limits the time for sports and exercise (Rutherford 2002). According to the UK Time Use Survey (2004), people spent roughly less than twelve minutes for their sports and exercise for the weekdays and less than thirty minutes during the weekend. Television viewing is a sedentary activity and people tend to grab snacks or eat their meals during this period. This results in obesity and some related diseases (Rutherford 2002). Hence, extensive television viewing causes health problems such as obesity due to lack of exercise.
Other than this, television viewing triggers behavioural problems. There is a lot of violence scenes showed in television even in the news .Research has shown that seeing too much violence on television desensitize children to it. As children believed what they saw on television, they are easily tried to be like them. Evidence proves that there has been an incident where children imitate their favourite superhero or characters in shows, and injured themselves as they thought that they have the same abilities of the superhero. In the movies also, people are classified as either good or bad while men and women played a specific role in life. Later, children’s behaviour towards themselves and other people are affected by these stereotypes (Sharif 1999). According Dr. Jones, children who watch television extensively are among the bottom rank students at school. Besides, television programs need undivided attention from the viewers. Thus, it is hard to focus on other activity such as homework when the television is on (Leigh 2001). So, it is proven that television viewing creates behavioural problems.
As a conclusion, extensive television viewing is indeed brings lots of adverse effect on people generally and children especially. In American Time Use Survey (2003), watching television have the highest average hours spent per day compared to the others proved that television is being watched protractedly. The smooth development of children’s thinking process is disrupted by the extensive television viewing. Therefore, I strongly agree that television brings more negative effect as it disrupts the development of the thinking process of children, creates health problem and triggers behavioural problems.
First and foremost, television influences the development of the thinking process of children. Nowadays, there a lot of unsuitable children programs aired by the television. These programs stimulate the development of short attention spans in children through their brief segments and flashy appearance. Children are prone to believe what they saw on television as they are at a stage on developing their mind. Thus, programs that always show problems are solved within thirty minutes embolden children to think that all problems are easily solved. Later, they will be easily disappointed and give up when they faced a difficult situation in their real life (Sharif 1999). According to Dr. Jones, television viewing is a passive activity. By watching television, children do not acquire imaginative skills which are essential in enhancing problem-solving and organizational ability (Leigh 2001). Thus, all of these effects lead to disruption in the development of the thinking process of children.
Beside this, viewing of television for a long period leads to health problems. People need to stay in front of television in order to watch it. As a result, people are not being physically active through this kind of indoor activity (Sharif 1999). People rather flick between channels to find interesting programs rather than switch it off. It then limits the time for sports and exercise (Rutherford 2002). According to the UK Time Use Survey (2004), people spent roughly less than twelve minutes for their sports and exercise for the weekdays and less than thirty minutes during the weekend. Television viewing is a sedentary activity and people tend to grab snacks or eat their meals during this period. This results in obesity and some related diseases (Rutherford 2002). Hence, extensive television viewing causes health problems such as obesity due to lack of exercise.
Other than this, television viewing triggers behavioural problems. There is a lot of violence scenes showed in television even in the news .Research has shown that seeing too much violence on television desensitize children to it. As children believed what they saw on television, they are easily tried to be like them. Evidence proves that there has been an incident where children imitate their favourite superhero or characters in shows, and injured themselves as they thought that they have the same abilities of the superhero. In the movies also, people are classified as either good or bad while men and women played a specific role in life. Later, children’s behaviour towards themselves and other people are affected by these stereotypes (Sharif 1999). According Dr. Jones, children who watch television extensively are among the bottom rank students at school. Besides, television programs need undivided attention from the viewers. Thus, it is hard to focus on other activity such as homework when the television is on (Leigh 2001). So, it is proven that television viewing creates behavioural problems.
As a conclusion, extensive television viewing is indeed brings lots of adverse effect on people generally and children especially. In American Time Use Survey (2003), watching television have the highest average hours spent per day compared to the others proved that television is being watched protractedly. The smooth development of children’s thinking process is disrupted by the extensive television viewing. Therefore, I strongly agree that television brings more negative effect as it disrupts the development of the thinking process of children, creates health problem and triggers behavioural problems.
0 comments:
Post a Comment