Cover photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels
Written by Emma Smith
The Digital Pandemic
Everywhere we look there are screens; especially since “everywhere” lately has been relatively confined to our homes. We’ve done the deep cleaning, the organizing, and we’ve tried picking up that new hobby. When all else fails, TVs, laptop computers, desktop computers, cell phones, and tablets are our connection to the world in this seemingly endless quarantine state and these screened devices are quickly becoming our world.
Children, teens, and college students alike are attending school online and spending hours in front of screens. Many adults as well are working from home via computer screens. When the school work is over, Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, all other streaming services, and a wide array of video games provide endless hours of entertainment all through screens. With the indefinite continuance of quarantine, how are we to balance it all and remain mindful and connected to family and friends rather than retreating into solitude with our respective screens?
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found that children ages 8-12 in the U.S. spent an average of 4-6 hours in front of a screen every day (AACAP, 2020). The same study found that teens spend up to 9 hours in front of a screen daily (AACAP, 2020) and according to the market-research group Nielsen, adults spend around 11 hours per day in front of screens (2018). We are, or rather were, spending anywhere between 25 and 50% of our days in front of screens before Covid. We can only assume that the percentage is now higher. We need to take a step back and either unplug or mindfully view media as a family.
The Symptoms
For further context: research on media and its effects on people, children especially, has shown that media, particularly violent media, can have adverse effects. High amounts of screen time in general have shown to be a contributing factor to physical issues like poor diet, obesity, and diminished sleep (Domingues-Montanari, 2017). Viewing particularly violent media has been linked to an increase in aggressive behavior in it’s viewers (Coyne et al., 2008; Gentile et al., 2010). In conjunction with these less than desirable effects, there’s individual effects. In my personal experience since the beginning of quarantine and my increase in screen time, I’ve experienced more frequent headaches, more physical sluggishness, and, depending on the show I’m binge watching, less motivation to do my other tasks. I’m sure that personal evaluation will reveal similar or other effects.
How to Treat It
Luckily, research has shown that media can be used as a positive and even unifying force in families. “Co-viewing” or enjoying movies, tv shows, video games, and other various forms of media together as a family can create shared memories and common ground (Broderick, 1993; Galvin et al., 2006). These shared memories and common ground create a base for family discussions and even inside jokes. Purposefully taking the time to make media viewing a family experience will increase family unity and help us to be more mindful about our media consumption.
Growing up, my family enjoyed watching movies like The Princess Bride and the old movie The Great Race with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemon. These frequent family watches resulted in an endless stream of family jokes that we still enjoy today. Now with my husband we derive from shows like Parks and Rec and playing video games together like Lego Harry Potter. These co-viewing or co-enjoying experiences strengthen family relationships and give shared meaning to conversations and jokes.
Understandably, not all media viewing experiences can be shared. Just with my husband and I, if we were to share all our media viewing with our online classes, reading, studying, and down time…. Well, then we would never sleep. What matters though, is that leisurely media watching is done together and becomes strengthening to the relationship. We must be mindful of our media usage. We can continue working and studying but when we turn to media for a break from all the work, we need to include those we love.
Option 1: Keep track of how much time you spend in front of a screen for one week and then think of ways you can cut back.
Option 2: Replace individual screen time with family tv, movie, or video game time for one week.
References
AACAP. (2020, February). Screen Time and Children. https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Children-And-Watching-TV-054.aspx
Broderick, C. B. (1993). Understanding family process: basics of family systems theory. Sage.
Coyne, S. M., Nelson, D. A., Lawton, F., Haslam, S., Rooney, L., Titterington, L., … Ogunlaja, L. (2008). The effects of viewing physical and relational aggression in the media: Evidence for a cross-over effect. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 44(6), 1551–1554. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2008.06.006
Galvin, K. M., Dickson, F. C., & Marrow, S. R. (2006). Systems Theory: Patterns and (W)holes in Family Communication. Engaging Theories in Family Communication: Multiple Perspectives Engaging Theories in Family Communication: Multiple Perspectives, 309–324. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781452204420.n20
Gentile, D. A., Coyne, S., & Walsh, D. A. (2010). Media violence, physical aggression, and relational aggression in school age children: a short-term longitudinal study. Aggressive Behavior, 37(2), 193–206. https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.20380
