1
|
Koch FS, Sundqvist A, Birberg Thornberg U, Barr R, Heimann M. Toddler's memory and media-Picture book reading and watching video content are associated with memory at 2 years of age. INFANCY 2024; 29:729-749. [PMID: 39024123 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Memory develops across the course of the first years of life and is influenced by daily experiences, such as exposure to media like books and television. Memory as tapped by Deferred imitation (DI) requires that toddlers form a representation of the target actions that they can later use to reproduce the actions and in addition to measuring memory for real live events, it can also be used to measure memory for events viewed through media. Toddlers are frequently exposed to multiple forms of digital media in addition to more traditional forms of picture book reading. In a within-subjects design, memory was assessed with a DI task in 2-year-olds (n = 89) using the Frankfurt Imitation Test. Deferred imitation was assessed after live and video demonstrations. Parents completed a survey about children's media use. Picture book reading for less than 30 min a day predicted lower memory scores for actions demonstrated live. Watching video content for more than 1 h a day predicted lower memory scores for actions demonstrated on video. Results are interpreted in terms of individual differences in experiences of traditional and digital media and the development of symbolic understanding.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Felix-Sebastian Koch
- Infant and Child Lab, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Annette Sundqvist
- Infant and Child Lab, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Ulrika Birberg Thornberg
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Rachel Barr
- Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Mikael Heimann
- Infant and Child Lab, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Flanagan T, Georgiou NC, Scassellati B, Kushnir T. School-age children are more skeptical of inaccurate robots than adults. Cognition 2024; 249:105814. [PMID: 38763071 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2024.105814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
We expect children to learn new words, skills, and ideas from various technologies. When learning from humans, children prefer people who are reliable and trustworthy, yet children also forgive people's occasional mistakes. Are the dynamics of children learning from technologies, which can also be unreliable, similar to learning from humans? We tackle this question by focusing on early childhood, an age at which children are expected to master foundational academic skills. In this project, 168 4-7-year-old children (Study 1) and 168 adults (Study 2) played a word-guessing game with either a human or robot. The partner first gave a sequence of correct answers, but then followed this with a sequence of wrong answers, with a reaction following each one. Reactions varied by condition, either expressing an accident, an accident marked with an apology, or an unhelpful intention. We found that older children were less trusting than both younger children and adults and were even more skeptical after errors. Trust decreased most rapidly when errors were intentional, but only children (and especially older children) outright rejected help from intentionally unhelpful partners. As an exception to this general trend, older children maintained their trust for longer when a robot (but not a human) apologized for its mistake. Our work suggests that educational technology design cannot be one size fits all but rather must account for developmental changes in children's learning goals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Flanagan
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, 417 Chapel Drive, Durham, NC 27701, United States of America.
| | - Nicholas C Georgiou
- Department of Computer Science, Yale University, 51 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, United States of America
| | - Brian Scassellati
- Department of Computer Science, Yale University, 51 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, United States of America
| | - Tamar Kushnir
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, 417 Chapel Drive, Durham, NC 27701, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Gao C, Wang F, Danovitch JH. Can touchscreens replace teachers? Chinese children's character learning from a touchscreen-based app, video, or face-to-face instruction. J Exp Child Psychol 2024; 244:105961. [PMID: 38776633 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2024.105961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Given the increasing prevalence of touchscreen devices that are intended for educational purposes, this study explored children's transfer of learning from touchscreen media compared with video and offline face-to-face learning. A total of 76 5- and 6-year-old Chinese kindergarten children (M = 68.21 months, SD = 3.57, range = 62-76; 30 boys and 46 girls) were randomly assigned to learn eight Chinese characters using a touchscreen-based app, using a video, or through face-to-face interaction. Learning was measured via the recall task scores, recognition task scores, recall efficiency, and recognition efficiency. The results revealed that children's recall and recognition task scores improved when learning took place using the touchscreen or face-to-face interaction. Children's recall efficiency and recognition efficiency were strongest in the face-to-face condition, followed by the touchscreen condition and then the video condition. The effects of instructional format on children's recall and recognition scores and recall efficiency were moderated by age; younger children's recall and recognition scores in the face-to-face condition and the touchscreen condition were significantly higher than in the video condition, yet older children's recall and recognition scores did not differ between conditions. However, for recall efficiency, younger children's recall efficiency in the face-to-face condition and the touchscreen condition was significantly higher than in the video condition; older children's recall efficiency in the face-to-face condition was higher than in both the touchscreen condition and the video condition. In conclusion, both face-to-face interaction and a touchscreen-based app were helpful ways for children to learn Chinese characters compared with video, but face-to-face learning showed advantages over touchscreen learning in recall efficiency for older children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chunying Gao
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, China; Institute of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Fuxing Wang
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, China.
| | - Judith H Danovitch
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40208, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Hermesch N, Konrad C, Barr R, Herbert JS, Seehagen S. Sleep-dependent memory consolidation of televised content in infants. J Sleep Res 2024; 33:e14121. [PMID: 38112265 DOI: 10.1111/jsr.14121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Infants face the constant challenge of selecting information for encoding and storage from a continuous incoming stream of data. Sleep might help in this process by selectively consolidating new memory traces that are likely to be of future relevance. Using a deferred imitation paradigm and an experimental design, we asked whether 15- and 24-month-old infants (N = 105) who slept soon after encoding a televised demonstration of target actions would show higher imitation scores (retention) after a 24-h delay than same-aged infants who stayed awake for ≥4 h after encoding. In light of infants' well-known difficulties in learning and remembering information from screens, we tested if increasing the relevance of the televised content via standardised caregiver verbalisations might yield the highest imitation scores in the sleep condition. Regardless of sleep condition, 24-month-olds exhibited retention of target actions while 15-month-olds consistently failed to do so. For 24-month-olds, temporal recall was facilitated by sleep, but not by parental verbalisations. Correlational analyses revealed that more time asleep within 4 h after encoding was associated with better retention of the target actions and their temporal order in 24-months-olds. These results suggest that sleep facilitates memory consolidation of screen-based content in late infancy and that this effect might not hinge on caregivers' verbal engagement during viewing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Neele Hermesch
- Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Carolin Konrad
- Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Rachel Barr
- Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Jane S Herbert
- School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sabine Seehagen
- Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Schmid B, Bleijlevens N, Mani N, Behne T. The cognitive underpinnings and early development of children's selective trust. Child Dev 2024; 95:1315-1332. [PMID: 38294284 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.14073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Young children learn selectively from reliable over unreliable sources. However, the cognitive underpinnings of their selectivity (attentional biases or trait ascriptions) and its early ontogeny are unclear. Thus, across three studies (N = 139, monolingual German speakers, 67 female), selective-trust tasks were adapted to test both preschoolers (5-year-olds) and toddlers (24-month-olds), using eye-tracking and interactive measures. These data show that preschoolers' selectivity is not based on attentional biases, but on person-specific trait ascriptions. In contrast, toddlers showed no selective trust, even in the eye-tracking tasks. They succeeded, however, in eye-tracking tasks with the same word-learning demands, if no ascriptions of reliability were required. Thus, these findings suggest that preschoolers, but not toddlers, use trait-like ascriptions of reliability to guide their selective learning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Schmid
- Developmental Psychology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz Science Campus "Primate Cognition", Göttingen, Germany
| | - Natalie Bleijlevens
- Developmental Psychology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz Science Campus "Primate Cognition", Göttingen, Germany
| | - Nivedita Mani
- Leibniz Science Campus "Primate Cognition", Göttingen, Germany
- Psychology of Language, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tanya Behne
- Developmental Psychology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz Science Campus "Primate Cognition", Göttingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Shinskey JL. Developmental trajectories of picture-based object representations during the first year of life. INFANCY 2024; 29:233-250. [PMID: 38183666 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Experience with an object's photograph changes 9-month-olds' preference for the referent object, confirming they can represent objects from pictures. However, picture-based representations appear weaker than object-based representations. The current study's first objective was to investigate age differences in object recognition memory after familiarization with objects' pictures. The second objective was to test whether age differences in object permanence sensitivity with picture-based representations match those found with object-based representations, whereby 7-month-olds search more for familiar hidden objects but 11-month-olds search more for novel ones. Six- and 11-month-olds were familiarized with an object's photo and tested on their representation of the real object by comparing their reaching for it versus a novel object. Objects were visible under conditions testing recognition memory and hidden under conditions testing object permanence. Like 9-month-olds, 6- and 11-month-olds preferred novelty with visible objects, showing early object recognition after picture familiarization, as well as developmental continuity. Unlike 9-month-olds, who switched to preferring familiarity with hidden objects, 6- and 11-month-olds switched to null preference. This pattern fails to match 7- and 11-month-olds' hidden-object preferences after familiarization with real objects, revealing discontinuity in sensitivity to object permanence after picture familiarization, and suggesting that picture-based representations are weaker than object-based ones.
Collapse
|
7
|
Janakiefski L, Guicherit IC, Saylor MM. Preschoolers ask questions about unknown words on video chat and in live interactions at similar rates. J Exp Child Psychol 2024; 238:105780. [PMID: 37774502 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a major increase in digital interactions in early experience. A crucial question, given expanding virtual platforms, is whether preschoolers' active word learning behaviors extend to their interactions over video chat. When not provided with sufficient information to link new words to meanings, preschoolers drive their word learning by asking questions. In person, 5-year-olds focus their questions on unknown words compared with known words, highlighting their active word learning. Here, we investigated whether preschoolers' question-asking over video chat differs from in-person question-asking. In the study, 5-year-olds were instructed to move toys in response to known and unknown verbs on a video conferencing call (i.e., Zoom). Consistent with in-person results, video chat participants (n = 18) asked more questions about unknown words than about known words. The rate of question-asking about words across video chat and in-person formats did not differ. Differences in the types of questions asked about words indicate, however, that although video chat does not hinder preschoolers' active word learning, the use of video chat may influence how preschoolers request information about words.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Janakiefski
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA.
| | - Isabelle C Guicherit
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Megan M Saylor
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Sanders T, Noetel M, Parker P, Del Pozo Cruz B, Biddle S, Ronto R, Hulteen R, Parker R, Thomas G, De Cocker K, Salmon J, Hesketh K, Weeks N, Arnott H, Devine E, Vasconcellos R, Pagano R, Sherson J, Conigrave J, Lonsdale C. An umbrella review of the benefits and risks associated with youths' interactions with electronic screens. Nat Hum Behav 2024; 8:82-99. [PMID: 37957284 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-023-01712-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The influence of electronic screens on the health of children and adolescents and their education is not well understood. In this prospectively registered umbrella review (PROSPERO identifier CRD42017076051 ), we harmonized effects from 102 meta-analyses (2,451 primary studies; 1,937,501 participants) of screen time and outcomes. In total, 43 effects from 32 meta-analyses met our criteria for statistical certainty. Meta-analyses of associations between screen use and outcomes showed small-to-moderate effects (range: r = -0.14 to 0.33). In education, results were mixed; for example, screen use was negatively associated with literacy (r = -0.14, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.20 to -0.09, P ≤ 0.001, k = 38, N = 18,318), but this effect was positive when parents watched with their children (r = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.02 to 0.28, P = 0.028, k = 12, N = 6,083). In health, we found evidence for several small negative associations; for example, social media was associated with depression (r = 0.12, 95% CI = 0.05 to 0.19, P ≤ 0.001, k = 12, N = 93,740). Limitations of our review include the limited number of studies for each outcome, medium-to-high risk of bias in 95 out of 102 included meta-analyses and high heterogeneity (17 out of 22 in education and 20 out of 21 in health with I2 > 50%). We recommend that caregivers and policymakers carefully weigh the evidence for potential harms and benefits of specific types of screen use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Taren Sanders
- Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Michael Noetel
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Philip Parker
- Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Borja Del Pozo Cruz
- Department of Sport Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Education, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
- Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cádiz (INiBICA) Research Unit, Puerta del Mar University Hospital, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Stuart Biddle
- Centre for Health Research, University of Southern Queensland, Springfield, Queensland, Australia
- Faculty of Sport and Health Scienchresholds for statistical credibilites, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Rimante Ronto
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ryan Hulteen
- School of Kinesiology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Rhiannon Parker
- The Centre for Social Impact, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - George Thomas
- The Health and Wellbeing Centre for Research Innovation, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Katrien De Cocker
- Department of Movement and Sport Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jo Salmon
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kylie Hesketh
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nicole Weeks
- Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Hugh Arnott
- Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Emma Devine
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Roberta Vasconcellos
- Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rebecca Pagano
- School of Education, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jamie Sherson
- School of Education, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - James Conigrave
- Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Chris Lonsdale
- Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Jing M, Ye T, Kirkorian HL, Mares ML. Screen media exposure and young children's vocabulary learning and development: A meta-analysis. Child Dev 2023; 94:1398-1418. [PMID: 37042116 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
This meta-analysis synthesizes research on media use in early childhood (0-6 years), word-learning, and vocabulary size. Multi-level analyses included 266 effect sizes from 63 studies (Ntotal = 11,413) published between 1988-2022. Among samples with information about race/ethnicity (51%) and sex/gender (73%), most were majority White/Non-Hispanic and between 40%-60% female. Analyses revealed a small overall positive relation between screen media exposure and vocabulary (r = .23). Experimental studies yielded a small-to-medium effect (r = .30), with stronger effects for e-books than TV/video or games/apps, and non-significant effects for video chat. In correlational studies, there was no overall association between vocabulary size and naturalistic media exposure (r = .07), with the exception of naturalistic exposure to educational media (r = .17).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mengguo Jing
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ting Ye
- Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Heather L Kirkorian
- Human Development and Family Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Marie-Louise Mares
- Communication Arts, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Sommer K, Slaughter V, Wiles J, Nielsen M. Revisiting the video deficit in technology-saturated environments: Successful imitation from people, screens, and social robots. J Exp Child Psychol 2023; 232:105673. [PMID: 37068443 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
The "video deficit" is a well-documented effect whereby children learn less well about information delivered via a screen than the same information delivered in person. Research suggests that increasing social contingency may ameliorate this video deficit. The current study instantiated social contingency to screen-based information by embodying the screen within a socially interactive robot presented to urban Australian children with frequent exposure to screen-based communication. We failed to document differences between 22- to 26-month-old children's (N = 80) imitation of screen-based information embedded in a social robot and in-person humans. Furthermore, we did not replicate the video deficit with children imitating at similar levels regardless of the presentation medium. This failure to replicate supports the findings of a recent meta-analysis of video deficit research whereby there appears to be a steady decrease over time in the magnitude of the video deficit effect. We postulate that, should the video deficit effect be truly dwindling in effect size, the video deficit may soon be a historical artifact as children begin perceiving technology as relevant and meaningful in everyday life more and more. This research finds that observational-based learning material can be successfully delivered in person, via a screen, or via a screen embedded in a social robot.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristyn Sommer
- School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland 4215, Australia.
| | - Virginia Slaughter
- Early Cognitive Development Centre, School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Janet Wiles
- ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4067, Australia
| | - Mark Nielsen
- Early Cognitive Development Centre, School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia; Faculty of Humanities, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park 2092, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the well-being of preschoolers: A parental guide. Heliyon 2023; 9:e14332. [PMID: 36974319 PMCID: PMC10028354 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Unexpected changes brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have affected humans worldwide. This review attempts to address major parental concerns about the development of preschool-aged children during the pandemic from the perspectives of neuropsychology, consultation, and motor development for preschoolers aged 2–5 years. Methods A total of 273 articles including original data, review articles, national and regional perspectives, government websites, and commentaries were considered in this review, of which 117 manuscripts were excluded because they were unrelated to children, adolescents, or COVID -19 pandemic/upper respiratory infections. A total of 156 manuscripts were included after reading the abstract and entire article. Results Telehealth could be an effective tool for addressing cognitive and emotional challenges that arise during the pandemic. Online consultations are highlighted for nutritional guidelines and to overcome problems that parents face when caring for children in difficult times. Outdoor activities using sanitisers, proper cleanliness, and following standard operating procedures are recommended. Parental preoccupation with media should be avoided. Interpretation: Many preschoolers show delays in reaching their developmental milestones, and the pandemic has increased parents' concerns, as access to practitioners is limited. Therefore, parents should be encouraged to undergo neuropsychological consultations whenever necessary. This study emphasises important strategies to ensure that children's development is minimally affected while staying in the confined environment of their homes. This study serves as a new guide for parents, as they raise young children in the new normal. Parents should undergo basic yearly physical, neuropsychological, nutritional, and speech checkups.
Collapse
|
12
|
Kirkorian H, Simmering V. Searching in the sand: Protracted video deficit in U.S. preschoolers' spatial recall using a continuous search space. Dev Sci 2023:e13376. [PMID: 36916718 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Young children exhibit a video deficit for spatial recall, learning less from on-screen than in-person demonstrations. Some theoretical accounts emphasize memory constraints (e.g., insufficient retrieval cues, competition between memory representations). Such accounts imply memory representations are graded, yet video deficit studies measuring spatial recall operationalize memory retrieval as dichotomous (success or failure). The current study tested a graded-representation account using a spatial recall task with a continuous search space (i.e., sandbox) rather than discrete locations. With this more sensitive task, a protracted video deficit for spatial recall was found in children 4-5 years old (n = 51). This may be due to weaker memory representations in the screen condition, evidenced by higher variability and greater perseverative bias. In general, perseverative bias decreased with repeated trials. The discussion considers how the results support a graded-representation account, potentially explaining why children might exhibit a video deficit in some tasks but not others. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The task used a continuous search space (sandbox), making it more difficult and sensitive than spatial recall tasks used in prior video deficit research. Spatial recall among 4- and 5-year-old children was more variable after watching hiding events on screen via live video feed than through a window. Children's spatial recall from screens was more susceptible to proactive interference, evidenced by more perseverative bias in an A-not-B design. The results demonstrate memory representations blend experiences that accumulate over time and explain why the video deficit may be protracted for more difficult tasks.
Collapse
|
13
|
Capparini C, To MPS, Reid VM. Should I follow your virtual gaze? Infants' gaze following over video call. J Exp Child Psychol 2023; 226:105554. [PMID: 36208491 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2022.105554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
From 10 months of age, human infants start to understand the function of the eyes in the looking behavior of others to the point where they preferentially orient toward an object if the social partner has open eyes rather than closed eyes. Thus far, gaze following has been investigated in controlled laboratory paradigms. The current study investigated this early ability using a remote live testing procedure, testing infants in their everyday environment while manipulating whether the experimenter could or could not see some target objects. A total of 32 11- and 12-month-old infants' looking behavior was assessed, varying the experimenter's eye status condition (open eyes vs closed eyes) in a between-participant design. Results showed that infants followed the gaze of a virtual social partner and that they preferentially followed open eyes rather than closed eyes. These data generalize past laboratory findings to a noisier home environment and demonstrate gaze processing capacities of infants to a virtual partner interacting with the participants in a live setup.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Capparini
- Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YF, United Kingdom; Center for Research in Cognition & Neuroscience (CRCN), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles 1050, Belgium.
| | - Michelle P S To
- Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YF, United Kingdom
| | - Vincent M Reid
- School of Psychology, University of Waikato, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Bleijlevens N, Contier F, Behne T. Pragmatics aid referent disambiguation and word learning in young children and adults. Dev Sci 2023:e13363. [PMID: 36598874 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
How do children succeed in learning a word? Research has shown robustly that, in ambiguous labeling situations, young children assume novel labels to refer to unfamiliar rather than familiar objects. However, ongoing debates center on the underlying mechanism: Is this behavior based on lexical constraints, guided by pragmatic reasoning, or simply driven by children's attraction to novelty? Additionally, recent research has questioned whether children's disambiguation leads to long-term learning or rather indicates an attentional shift in the moment of the conversation. Thus, we conducted a pre-registered online study with 2- and 3-year-olds and adults. Participants were presented with unknown objects as potential referents for a novel word. Across conditions, we manipulated whether the only difference between both objects was their relative novelty to the participant or whether, in addition, participants were provided with pragmatic information that indicated which object the speaker referred to. We tested participants' immediate referent selection and their retention after 5 min. Results revealed that when given common ground information both age groups inferred the correct referent with high success and enhanced behavioral certainty. Without this information, object novelty alone did not guide their selection. After 5 min, adults remembered their previous selections above chance in both conditions, while children only showed reliable learning in the pragmatic condition. The pattern of results indicates how pragmatics may aid referent disambiguation and learning in both adults and young children. From early ontogeny on, children's social-cognitive understanding may guide their communicative interactions and support their language acquisition. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: We tested how 2-3-year-olds and adults resolve referential ambiguity without any lexical cues. In the pragmatic context both age groups disambiguated novel word-object-mappings, while object novelty alone did not guide their referent selection. In the pragmatic context, children also showed increased certainty in disambiguation and retained new word-object-mappings over time. These findings contribute to the ongoing debate on whether children learn words on the basis of domain-specific constraints, lower-level associative mechanisms, or pragmatic inferences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Bleijlevens
- Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Leibniz ScienceCampus "Primate Cognition", Göttingen, Germany
| | - Friederike Contier
- Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Leibniz ScienceCampus "Primate Cognition", Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Psychology, University Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Tanya Behne
- Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Leibniz ScienceCampus "Primate Cognition", Göttingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Mustonen R, Torppa R, Stolt S. Screen Time of Preschool-Aged Children and Their Mothers, and Children's Language Development. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 9:children9101577. [PMID: 36291513 PMCID: PMC9601267 DOI: 10.3390/children9101577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Although children’s increased screen time has been found to associate with poorer language development, it is open to question which part of language ability screen time specifically associates with. Our aim was to examine the association between children’s screen time (alone and together with a parent), mothers’ screen time, and the different domains of children’s language skills. Mothers reported their children’s (N = 164, aged 2.5 to 4.1 years) screen time and their own on a weekday and a day off. Children’s lexical, phonological, morphological, receptive, and general language abilities were measured using validated tests. The connections between children’s and mothers’ screen time and children’s language skills were analyzed using correlation analyses and linear regression models. The more the children used screen time alone, or the greater the amount of the mothers’ screen time, the weaker the children’s lexical and general language abilities when the children’s age, maternal education level, and birth order were controlled for. We also found cumulative, negative links to the children’s lexical and general language abilities when the amount of their screen time alone and the amount of the mothers’ screen time were simultaneously included in the regression model. The results suggest that it is important to restrict both children’s screen time spent alone and mothers’ screen time.
Collapse
|
16
|
Glick AR, Saiyed FS, Kutlesa K, Onishi KH, Nadig AS. Implications of video chat use for young children's learning and social-emotional development: Learning words, taking turns, and fostering familial relationships. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2022; 13:e1599. [PMID: 35609141 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Parents of young children use video chat differently than other screen media, paralleling expert recommendations (e.g., American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Communications and Media, 2016), which suggest that video chat, unlike other screen media, is acceptable for use by children under 18 months. Video chat is unique among screen media in that it permits contingent (time-sensitive and content-sensitive) social interactions. Contingent social interactions take place between a child and a partner (dyadic), with objects (triadic), and with multiple others (multi-party configurations), which critically underpin development in multiple domains. First, we review how contingent social interaction may underlie video chat's advantages in two domains: for learning (specifically learning new words) and for social-emotional development (specifically taking turns and fostering familial relationships). Second, we describe constraints on video chat use and how using chat with an active adult (co-viewing) may mitigate some of its limitations. Finally, we suggest future research directions that will clarify the potential advantages and impediments to the use of video chat by young children. This article is categorized under: Linguistics > Language Acquisition Psychology > Learning Cognitive Biology > Social Development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron R Glick
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre for Research in Brain, Language, and Music, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Fauzia S Saiyed
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Education and Human Services, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Katia Kutlesa
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Kristine H Onishi
- Centre for Research in Brain, Language, and Music, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Aparna S Nadig
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre for Research in Brain, Language, and Music, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Xu Y, Vigil V, Bustamante AS, Warschauer M. Contingent interaction with a television character promotes children's science learning and engagement. JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2022.101439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
18
|
Schwab JF, Somerville LH. Raising the Stakes for Online Learning: Monetary Incentives Increase Performance in a Computer-Based Learning Task Under Certain Conditions. Front Psychol 2022; 13:780301. [PMID: 35602677 PMCID: PMC9119014 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.780301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
To what extent can external incentives influence students’ effort and learning in online course contexts? While cognitive science research has found that monetary incentives can increase goal-directed cognitive effort in certain laboratory tasks, attempts to use monetary incentives to increase students’ academic performance in naturalistic settings has shown mixed results. In two experiments, we tested the influence of a monetary incentive (compared to no external incentive) on immediate and delayed tests of computer-based educational performance (i.e., learning from educational videos). In Experiment 1, participants were assigned to (1) receive monetary incentives for correct quiz responses, or (2) receive no additional incentive for correct responses other than finding out their score, and we found no significant difference in total score across groups (on either immediate or delayed tests of learning). In Experiment 2, we used a within-subjects design to test whether participants performed better when they were provided monetary incentives for correct responses on quiz questions (compared to no external incentive). Here, participants performed significantly better on incentivized quiz questions (on both immediate and delayed tests of learning). Thus, monetary incentives may increase performance in online learning tasks when participants can anchor the “stakes” of an incentive compared to no external incentive. These findings highlight potential benefits of external incentives for promoting effort and learning in online contexts, although further research is needed to determine the most useful educationally-relevant extrinsic incentives, as well as potential negative effects of incentives on long-term intrinsic motivation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica F Schwab
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Leah H Somerville
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Children's Evolved Learning Abilities and Their Implications for Education. EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW 2022; 34:2243-2273. [PMID: 35730061 PMCID: PMC9192340 DOI: 10.1007/s10648-022-09688-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In this article, I examine children's evolved learning mechanisms that make humans the most educable of animals. These include (1) skeletal perceptual and cognitive mechanisms that get fleshed out over the course of development, mainly through play; (2) a high level of plasticity that is greatest early in life but that persists into adulthood; (3) remarkable social-learning capabilities; and (4) dispositions toward exploration and play. I next examine some evolutionary mismatches-conflicts between psychological mechanisms evolved in ancient environments and their utility in modern ones-specifically with respect to modern educational systems. I then suggest some ways educators can take advantage of children's evolved learning abilities to minimize the effects of evolutionary mismatches, including (1) following developmentally appropriate practices (which are also evolutionarily appropriate practices), (2) increasing opportunities for physical activities, (3) increasing opportunities to learn through play, and (4) taking advantage of stress-adapted children's "hidden talents." I argue that evolutionary theory informs teachers and parents about how children evolved to learn and can result in more-enlightened teaching methods that will result in a more enjoyable and successful learning experiences for children.
Collapse
|
20
|
Shields MM, McGinnis MN, Selmeczy D. Remote Research Methods: Considerations for Work With Children. Front Psychol 2021; 12:703706. [PMID: 34777090 PMCID: PMC8581245 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.703706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The growing shift to online research provides numerous potential opportunities, including greater sample diversity and more efficient data collection. While online methods and recruitment platforms have gained popularity in research with adults, there is relatively little guidance on best practices for how to conduct remote research with children. The current review discusses how to conduct remote behavioral research with children and adolescents using moderated (i.e., real-time interactions between the experimenter and child) and unmoderated (i.e., independent completion of study without experimenter interaction) methods. We examine considerations regarding sample diversity and provide recommendations on implementing remote research with children, including discussions about remote software, study design, and data quality. These recommendations can promote the use of remote research amongst developmental psychologists by contributing to our knowledge of effective online research practices and helping to build standardized guidelines when working with children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle M Shields
- Cognitive Development Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, United States
| | - Morgan N McGinnis
- Cognitive Development Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, United States
| | - Diana Selmeczy
- Cognitive Development Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, United States
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Schidelko LP, Schünemann B, Rakoczy H, Proft M. Online Testing Yields the Same Results as Lab Testing: A Validation Study With the False Belief Task. Front Psychol 2021; 12:703238. [PMID: 34721151 PMCID: PMC8548716 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.703238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, online testing has become an increasingly important instrument in developmental research, in particular since the COVID-19 pandemic made in-lab testing impossible. However, online testing comes with two substantial challenges. First, it is unclear how valid results of online studies really are. Second, implementing online studies can be costly and/or require profound coding skills. This article addresses the validity of an online testing approach that is low-cost and easy to implement: The experimenter shares test materials such as videos or presentations via video chat and interactively moderates the test session. To validate this approach, we compared children’s performance on a well-established task, the change-of-location false belief task, in an in-lab and online test setting. In two studies, 3- and 4-year-old received online implementations of the false belief version (Study 1) and the false and true belief version of the task (Study 2). Children’s performance in these online studies was compared to data of matching tasks collected in the context of in-lab studies. Results revealed that the typical developmental pattern of performance in these tasks found in in-lab studies could be replicated with the novel online test procedure. These results suggest that the proposed method, which is both low-cost and easy to implement, provides a valid alternative to classical in-person test settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Britta Schünemann
- Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hannes Rakoczy
- Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Marina Proft
- Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Can infants use video to update mental representations of absent objects? Infant Behav Dev 2021; 64:101623. [PMID: 34388413 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2021.101623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Before their second birthday, infants can update their knowledge based on what someone tells them, but can they do so based on what a video shows them? The current study explored whether infants can update their representation of an absent object's properties after seeing a video of something happening to it, following seminal work showing that they can update their representation after being told about something happening to it (Ganea et al., 2007). It thus adapted an existing paradigm for testing infants' understanding of references to absent objects (using language) to investigate a different symbolic medium (video). Twenty-two-month-olds first played with a toy and later saw on video that the toy underwent a change in state while they were out of the room. Infants in the current study did not subsequently identify the toy based on this new information, whereas those in previous research did. Infants this age thus appear less likely to update their representation of an absent object's properties using video than using language. This result is consistent with the possibility that infants may understand the representational function of symbolic objects later in development than they understand the representational function of language. It also aligns with evidence of the video deficit in which infants learn less effectively from video than from firsthand experience.
Collapse
|
23
|
Nielsen M, Fong FTK, Whiten A. Social learning from media: The need for a culturally diachronic developmental psychology. ADVANCES IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND BEHAVIOR 2021; 61:317-334. [PMID: 34266569 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acdb.2021.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Since the proliferation of television sets into households began over half a century ago there has been widespread interest in the impact that viewing has on young children's development. Such interest has grown with the increasing availability of smart phones and tablets. In this review we examine the literature documenting human social learning and how this learning is impacted when the instructing agent appears on a screen instead of face-to-face. We then explore the shifting nature of screen-based media, with a focus on the increasingly socio-normative manner information is portrayed. We discuss how the changing nature of screen technology might be altering how children interpret what they see, and raise the possibility that this may render prevailing evidence as historical documentation, rather than setting out established developmental milestones that transcend the period in which they were documented. We contend that recognizing the significance of historically changing contexts in developmental psychology is timely when the COVID-19 climate is pushing data collection on-line for many labs, often using tasks that were developed primarily for face-to-face contexts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark Nielsen
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia; Faculty of Humanities, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - Frankie T K Fong
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia; Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Andrew Whiten
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Strouse GA, Ganea PA. Learning to learn from video? 30-month-olds benefit from continued use of supportive scaffolding. Infant Behav Dev 2021; 64:101574. [PMID: 34082298 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2021.101574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Young children struggle to learn new words presented on video, but adult co-viewers can support them by providing scaffolds that explicitly connect the video and real world. In this study, we asked whether scaffolding facilitates children's symbolic understanding of the video, such that they will subsequently transfer labels from video to real referents. Sixty-three 30-month-olds and 61 36-month-olds participated in a series of three word learning trials in one of three conditions. In the supportive condition, an in-person adult explicitly drew connections between each on-screen object and the corresponding real object in the room with the child. In the unsupportive condition, the in-person adult provided similar-length statements about the objects but did not draw connections between them. In the partial scaffold condition, the in-person adult provided the supportive scaffolds for the first two trials and the unsupportive version for the third trial. At 30 months, children selected the correct object on the third trial more often in the supportive than the unsupportive scaffold condition, and performance in the partial scaffold condition fell in between. At 36 months, performance on the third trial did not differ across conditions. The results showed that experiencing the scaffold twice was not enough to reliably support 30-month-olds in learning to think symbolically on the third trial; rather, they appeared to rely on the adult to connect the video image with its specific real-world referent. At 36 months, however, children did not rely on the adult scaffold to apply the video label to the real-world objects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle A Strouse
- Division of Counseling and Psychology in Education, University of South Dakota, United States; Center for Brain and Behavior Research, University of South Dakota, United States.
| | - Patricia A Ganea
- Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, United States
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Ribner AD, McHarg G. Screens across the pond: Findings from longitudinal screen time research in the US and UK. Infant Behav Dev 2021; 63:101551. [PMID: 33706229 PMCID: PMC8172472 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2021.101551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Digital media are increasingly pervasive in the lives of young children. This increase in the availability of digital media might have long-run implications for child development; however, it is too soon to definitively conclude the direction of effects. In part due to this lack of certainty, leading health organizations have chosen to make different recommendations to parents of young children: Many international health organizations (e.g., the American Academy of Pediatrics, World Health Organization) recommend very young children be limited to under one hour of screen time daily, whereas others (e.g., Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health) have intentionally opted not to make recommendations about specific limits. These guidelines might contribute to parents in different countries making meaningfully different choices about children's use of digital media. Using a sample of N = 303 families recruited in Cambridgeshire, England and New York City prior to the birth of couples' first child, we explore predictors of digital media use across the first two years of life. Data were collected when children were 4, 14, and 24 months of age. Results of latent growth curve analyses show that generally, children spend more time engaging with digital media as they grow older; however, growth mixture models reveal most children fit into one of two classes: One group of children (High Media Users; 52.2 %) engages with a substantial amount of digital media, whereas the other (Low Media Users; 48.8 %) engages with relatively little. Children in the US were approximately 30 % more likely to be in the Low Media Users group and there were no differences in group membership on the basis of parents' psychosocial wellbeing. While these differences could be due to a number of factors, these findings may reflect the power of pediatric recommendations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Ribner
- Learning Research and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, 3939 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
| | - Gabrielle McHarg
- Centre for Family Research, University of Cambridge, Free School Lane, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3RQ, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Choi K, Kirkorian HL, Pempek TA. Touchscreens for Whom? Working Memory and Age Moderate the Impact of Contingency on Toddlers' Transfer From Video. Front Psychol 2021; 12:621372. [PMID: 33716887 PMCID: PMC7943612 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.621372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Toddlers exhibit poor transfer between video and real-world contexts. Contingently responsive video such as that found in touchscreen apps appears to assist transfer for some toddlers but not others. This study investigated the extent to which toddlers' working memory moderates the impact of contingency on toddler's transfer of learning from video. Toddlers (24–36 months; N = 134) watched a hiding event on either (a) contingent video that advanced only after touch input or (b) non-contingent video that proceeded automatically. Toddlers then searched for a corresponding object on a felt board. Additionally, toddlers' working memory (WM) was assessed. Findings indicate WM and age moderated the impact of contingency on transfer: Contingency decreased transfer in younger children while increasing transfer among older children. However, this was only true for children with relatively low WM. Contingency had little impact on transfer among children with relatively high WM, regardless of age. Results from this study suggest that WM is one specific moderator that predicts whether toddlers are likely to learn from contingent vs. non-contingent video, yet WM does not operate in isolation. Together, these findings underscore the importance of considering multiple child characteristics when identifying the optimal conditions for toddlers' learning from symbolic media.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Koeun Choi
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Heather L Kirkorian
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Tiffany A Pempek
- Department of Psychology, Hollins University, Roanoke, VA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Heimann M, Hedendahl L, Ottmer E, Kolling T, Koch FS, Birberg Thornberg U, Sundqvist A. 2-Year-Olds Learning From 2D Media With and Without Parental Support: Comparing Two Forms of Joint Media Engagement With Passive Viewing and Learning From 3D. Front Psychol 2021; 11:576940. [PMID: 33569021 PMCID: PMC7868415 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.576940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The study investigates to what degree two different joint media engagement (JME) strategies affect children's learning from two-dimensional (2D)-media. More specifically, we expected an instructed JME strategy to be more effective than a spontaneous, non-instructed, JME strategy. Thirty-five 2-year old children saw a short video on a tablet demonstrating memory tasks together with a parent. The parents were randomized into two groups: One group (N = 17) was instructed to help their child by describing the actions they saw on the video while the other group (N = 18) received no specific instruction besides "do as you usually do." The parents in the instructed group used significantly more words and verbs when supporting their child but both groups of children did equally well on the memory test. In a second step, we compared the performance of the two JME groups with an opportunistic comparison group (N = 95) tested with half of the memory tasks live and half of the tasks on 2D without any JME support. Results showed that the JME intervention groups received significantly higher recall scores than the no JME 2D comparison group. In contrast, the three-dimensional (3D) comparison group outperformed both JME groups. In sum, our findings suggest that JME as implemented here is more effective in promoting learning than a no JME 2D demonstration but less so than the standard 3D presentation of the tasks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mikael Heimann
- Infant and Child Lab, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Louise Hedendahl
- Infant and Child Lab, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Elida Ottmer
- Infant and Child Lab, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | | | - Felix-Sebastian Koch
- Infant and Child Lab, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Ulrika Birberg Thornberg
- Infant and Child Lab, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Annette Sundqvist
- Infant and Child Lab, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|