Running Head: TECHNOLOGY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN

Literature Review: Technology and the Development of Children.

University of Texas at El Paso
Alyssa Veloz

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Abstract
The debate continues to go on about the effects technology truly has on the development
of children ages two through eighteen. In hopes of grasping the attention of all parents since they
are the true causes of either allowing their children to have screen time or none whatsoever. It is
very important that parents become more alert and aware of the beneficial sides and damaging
effects of allowing their children to use electronics of any sort. Throughout this Literature
Review, parents, teachers, and many individuals who are just plain interested in children and
technology will then have more insight on the subject matter of technology and the
development of children. The following research questions will address: the physical and
mental diseases caused by children who use technology vs. children who do not, how
professionals view the use of technology and what they suggest is the best practice, the kinds of
diseases that will stem from using technology in excess to no use at all, and lastly, the types of
parental approaches in terms of technology use by young children.
What are the physical and mental effects caused by children using technology vs children
not using technology?
Technology has caused many effects on children between the ages two to eighteen
physically and mentally, this will be thoroughly discussed throughout. The excessive use of
technology has definitely been the culprit of serious diseases that cause great harm towards the
development of children. For example, children will be at risk for depression, anxiety,
underdeveloped social skills, obesity and type two diabetes states expert, Jessica Lahnr from Fox
6 Now News (2015). The short video clip that can be viewed directly off the Fox 6 Now News
website has provided many insights on what potential benefits and pitfalls come from children
who use technology. Expert Jessica Lahnr informs parents of what technology has been

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negatively doing to their children thus far. She states that children who are being exposed to
excess technology between the ages of two through eighteen, will then be prone to serious
physical and mental diseases: there has been studies that have shown that kids who use
technology excessively are at risk for depression, anxiety, underdeveloped social skills, obesity
and type two diabetes (Trisha Bee, & Fox 6 Now News 2015 [1:20-1:30]). Many of the parents
who were surveyed also believed that technology has been the culprit of poor social skills for
their children. Having screen time and viewing that as being social then shows children that it is
okay to communicate in this form.
Jessica Lahnr goes into depth about these effects by stating proven facts from reliable
sources like The American Academy of Pediatrics. They did a study as to how much screen time
is appropriate for ages two to eighteen, which is two hours a day. It is proven that children do not
comprehend and learn as efficiently by using technology. Studies have been done to get a better
understanding on healthier approaches parents can take to insure that their children will be okay
in the future. It is greatly effective to not just remove technology in general, but to monitor the
usage as well. Too much of anything is not beneficial to anyone, but allowing children to
stimulate their minds will show how to have screen time with moderation. Many negative factors
follow excessive use of technology by being dependent and unable to do adapt socially, or even
unable to be physically active anymore. The following section will discuss more pitfalls that
technology has caused to our young generation.
Technology has been able to take control and somewhat brainwash children, states Dr.
Keith (2013). The young generation has become too dependent and accustomed to having
technology whenever they please. In the video clip provided by Fox News, Is Technology
Rewiring Childrens Brains, Dr. Keith informs us how the content being available to children at

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the click of a button causes them to be a direct candidate and victim to behavioral problems,
emotional problems, and relationship problems. Research shows that almost ninety percent of
human communication is said to be nonverbal. Parents believe that by allowing their children to
use technology as much as they please helps increase their creativity. However, Dr. Keith says
otherwise, moderation is key. He states that these children do not know what it is like to not have
their minds stimulated all the time. This makes these kids more vulnerable to becoming drug
addicts and alcoholics in the long run. Dr. Keith explains on Fox News what television, videos,
movies, DVDs, for even only a few hours, have done to children before the age of seven.
Overuse of these items will lead to greater behavioral problems, emotional problems, and
relationship problems. (Dr. Keith, & Fox News, 2013)
To touch base on development of children, expert Dr. Keith states the negative effects
overuse of screen time does to these kids. Conduct problems may occur from the explicit content
that then entices children to act it out. Emotional problems and relationship problems are also
due to the dependency on technology as well. Children are then seeking comfort in technology
and see nothing wrong with making electronics their primary way of communicating, thus
damaging childrens social and developmental skills. Having technology be the substitute for
actual human contact creates the inability to function with people face to face. Over ninety
percent of human contact is said to be nonverbal (Dr. Keith, & Fox News 2013). Children view
their parents as role models and if they are always on electronics, their children will then find
that to be okay. This generation needs to find alternative ways to communicate more effectively.
If this continues dependency on technology children will then face great difficulty in their adult
lives, which can be scary. Parents are the root of this particular subject matter. They provide
children with technology at home via cellphones, laptops, television etc. Shown below on Figure

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1 is a graph on children who have a cellphone and how much they use it between the ages of six
to eleven. It is proven that in 2005 to 2009 the amount of children who owns a cellphone is
increasing by a pretty great margin (Pamela Klassen 2010).
The figure then proves that as time progresses, children who are using technology has
increased dramatically and will continue to increase with the help of the enablers: their parents.
If children had more of a positive support system, things
will then begin to take a positive twist on future studies.

The newspaper article Children and Computers.

New Technology Old concerns is discussing what
technology has been able to offer children, both positively and negatively. The writers then
inform the readers and parents mainly on what their children view online, or through any
electronic device, can really do to their mind. In general proponents of media innovation argue
that the new technology benefits children by opening up a new world to them, while opponents
argue that the media might be used to substitute real life in learning ethical principles,
undermining childrens morality and causing them to engage in illicit sexual and criminal
behavior. Although media and technology as a whole has been able to offer many positive
effects for society, it has also caused many downfalls. Especially how children learn to
communicate and associate what they see on the screen and how they should morally react to
certain situations. Not only can kids become victims of society by becoming so dependent on
technology and being heavily influenced by what is on the screen. These visual representations
that are viewed as entertainment to the public, and available to children as well, has them
thinking a certain way.

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Different sources of media create different mind sets as to children adapt and take what
they see on screen with them through their developing years. Research has shown that movies
have been the cause of crime, delinquency, and sexual misconduct amongst teens, (Wartella E.
and Jennings N.2000). Movies are created for entertainment, but developing children are not able
to differentiate what they see on the screen to what is morally correct. This will then cause
children to act out inappropriately. On the other hand, children being exposed to excessive use of
technology are now able to comprehend and learn at a faster pace than ever before. Studies are
done to see what technology has done for children in the educational setting. There has been
studies on what electronics have done to children in being able to comprehend, communicate,
and being able to stay on task.
The scholarly article, The Influence of Young Childrens Use of Technology on Their
Learning: A review, did such research on what technology in the educational setting has done.
Their results were that 61 studies reported positive findings, 24 reported no differences, and only
2 reported negative outcomes. It seems that the majority of the studies indicated an overall
positive effect of technologies on learning (2014).
There are alternative ways in limiting personal use of technology and making it beneficial
for children. Developers have created hands-on applications that can stimulate the mind of
children three and up. Certain apps will then be able to stimulate the mind of young children. It
all depends on how well the child can comprehend, and how much parents are willing to go to
insure their children are on the right path.
How do professionals view child technology use and what do they suggest are the best
practices?

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Technology has a variety of uses. Experts then inform parents as to how their children
can use their time more effectively in order to develop efficient comprehensive skills. Some
parents believe that it is more efficient to not have their children use technology. Expert Jessica
Lahnr tells viewers that developers are now creating new two dimension learning technology that
helps children learn as they are using these apps as well. Even the smallest changes can make a
difference in the household. Children will feed off of their parents, and by limiting technology
use every once in a while, will allow them to see it as a normal thing, and become less
dependent on excessively using electronics.
It is best to take some down time and be electronic free in order to engage with these developing
children. Lahnr states that even not having an Ipod in the car on the way to baseball practice.
We are going to have a conversation Expert Jessica Lahnr then says that by limiting iPod use
in the car will then encourage children to be more verbal, and outspoken instead of using their
cellphones or any other device.
Then there are parents who do allow their children screen time, whether it be excessively
or in moderation. That is why some families are enthusiastic users of technology, parents
encourage their childrens engagement with computer games or websites such as CBeebies and
Nick Jr. in these families (Plowman L., Stephen C. and McPake J. 2010). Parents believe that as
long as their child is being productive, there shouldnt be a problem in using technology. Having
parents limit screen time for their childrens personal use is what needs to be done. Jessica Lahnr
begins to inform viewers as to what she does to be a positive role model to her children. She
informs viewers on how she only allows her children thirty minutes of screen time in fifteen
minute increments. It would help out in the long run to teach children that by using what is
available for them for good purposes it will help them go far in the long run.

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What kinds of diseases does using little or no technology at all do to children?

From the news letter written by Douglas Quenqua from the New York Times (2014),
It is believed that introducing children to technology at such a young age as in reading through ebooks instead of physical books, has not yet stirred up any controversy. The time frame for this
new way of teaching has not been around long enough, but what researchers have gathered is
that theres a lot of interaction when reading a book to your child and how youre turning the
pages, pointing at the pictures and talking about the stories (Qenqua 2014). By applying
technology it takes away from such significance. It does not cause the child to have any diseases,
says Dr. High (Douglas Quenqua, New York Times 2014). Out of the twenty parents who were
surveyed only five believed that technology should be banned in the educational setting. They
felt that by implementing technology children would become more dependent on it, which would
make them lazier in the future (see references for full survey).
Many others, such as parents and teachers, view the use of technology as the cause to
many negative outlooks in children in the long run. The amount of concern is increasing
tremendously on how children are becoming more susceptible to many health problems due to
the overuse of technology in and out of the household. The obesity rate has tripled in the past 20
years according to says Kristina E.Hatch (2011). Also, fifteen percent of children from ages six
to nineteen have fallen under the category of being considered as overweight, or even just twice
as many on the brink of becoming such.
Although no one can really force parents to listen to the proper way of specific
standards on how to raise their child, parents should really listen and keep an open mind as to the
effective and positive effects that comes from applying technology usage to their academic and

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personal use. But also not to forget about the potential pitfalls that comes from improperly
involving electronics and overuse of screen time by their children during their developmental
ages, which is ages two through eighteen.
What are the different types of parental approaches in terms of technology use of young
children?
As stated previously, Jessica Lahnr has a certain method of how she wants to teach her
children. She believes that by cutting their screen time in half will definitely ensure some good
qualities for her children in the future (Bee 2015). According to Kristina E. Hatchs research,
society has shifted to an electronic dependent world. Children are now being taught to keep up
with the jones. Lev Grossman has stated that this is an evolving society and its not as much
worry as we initially thought (Kristina E.Hatch Determining the Effects of Technology on
Children (2011) (p.8)).
Another view to this would be to the inability to multitask. The scholarly article,
Determining the effects of technology on children, states that eight to eighteen year olds spend
seven hours and thirty-eight minutes a day using entertainment media. As they have become so
absorbed into it, that social and entertainment media become a constant distraction (2011). This
is very true, with so much to do electronically children begin to get overwhelmed as to what they
want or should do right now. There is a time and place as for what is being viewed and taught.
All researchers can do is help keep the parents aware of the facts.
Conclusion
To finish off, the goal for this literature review has been to provide insight to many
parents on major issues that come from technology and their growing children. Whether it be

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agreeing with the facts on what technology has to offer in the academic setting or even
beneficially at home for learning skills. Or agreeing to disagree that allowing children to do as
they please will result in many major potential diseases and setbacks. Something must be done
on either end to ensure that the future adults of our society are able to manage and comprehend
physically and mentally. This is 2015, in this day in age technology seems to be a major
necessity. The schools, households, stores, restaurants, and even newspapers now are required to
be accessible via applications and or online. What can definitely be a start in improving the
stated pitfalls above would be to monitor what children are viewing. It may be hard to cut back
cold turkey, but by even having access to disconnecting your childs mobile device, television,
iPod, etc. will keep parents at ease. As for the educational setting, there needs to be people
involved in helping children learn without having so much screen time. Excess usage of this will
have them lose concentration, and burn their eyes out from exhaustion much quicker. This is
going to continue to be an ongoing subject matter. Whether we like it or not, this is our reality.

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References
Bee T. (2015) Technology and kids, child development-expert talks benefits and potential pitfalls
http://fox6now.com/2015/01/05/technology-and-kids-child-development-expert-talksbenefits-potential-pitfalls/
(2014) The Influence of Young Childrens Use of Technology on Their Learning: A review
http://www.ifets.info/journals/17_4/6.pdf
Hatch Kristina (2011) Determining the effects of technology on children
http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1212&context=srhonorsprog
D. Quenqua (2014) Is E-reading to your toddler story time or simply screen time?
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/12/us/is-e-reading-to-your-toddler-story-time-orsimply-screen-time.html
Wartella Ellen & Jennings Nancy (2000) Children and computers. New technology old
concerns

http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/1602688?

sid=21106351168743&uid=389099251
&uid=3739920&uid=2&uid=3739256&uid=3&uid=60
Albow K. (2013) Is technology rewiring childrens brains
http://video.foxnews.com/v/2272568299001/is-technology-rewiring-childrens-brains/?
#sp=show-clips
Klassen Pamela (2010) (the graph) How many children have cellphones between the ages 6-8
Plowman L., Stephen C. and McPake J. (2010) Growing up with technology

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(20 0f the surveys below were handed out/ emailed to participating parents and or siblings)

Survey:
1. How many hours does your child spend using electronics at home?
0-2
3-6
More
2. Technology has improved how your child has been able to grasp and learn new things?
Strongly agree
Agree
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Non applicable
3. Do you believe E-books been able to help children learn?
Strongly agree
Agree
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Non applicable
4. Content in technology demonstrates bad behavior and allows children to think a certain
way?
Strongly agree
Agree
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Non applicable
5. Technology has taken over childrens face to face social skills?
Strongly agree
Agree
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Non applicable
6. Children will be more advanced in the future because of the technology theyre being
exposed to at such a young age?
Strongly agree

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Agree
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Non applicable

7. Should parents implement technology during their childrens developmental stages?

Strongly agree
Agree
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Non applicable
8. Should technology be banned in schools for children between the ages 2-18?
Strongly agree
Agree
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Non applicable

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