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Social Media Influences Fitness Trends
Jul. 19, 2011Club Industry staff | Club Industry meeting face to face, but does that make users less social? The answer is no, according to the 2011 Tracking the Fitness Movement report, which says group exercise classes are increasingly popular among people born between 1980 and 1999, often referred to as Generation Y.
Participation in these activities has increased by 20 percent in the last three years, in part because they provide an opportunity for socialization that young adults have come to crave in the era of social media, according to the report by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA) and the Association of Fitness Industry Retailers and Manufacturers (AFIRM).
“Generation Y is probably in closer communication with its peers than any other group in history,” says Tom Cove, SGMA’s president and CEO. “People in their early 20s to early 30s are using social media on all levels and at all times. One of the by-products of this steady communication is the surge in popularity of group exercise classes among Generation Y. Group cycling, step aerobics and dance to music classes are all very popular with Gen Y.”
That desire for communication may have helped popularize fitness electronics, another trend included in the report. Small devices appeal to exercisers because they make it easy for users to monitor their exercise, share workout information with friends and family and even compete to see who can burn more calories or lose the most weight.
Although young adults seem to be driving the trends in the health and fitness industries, they are not the most active age group, the report says. (That title goes to 45- to 54-year-olds.) But Generation Y 's influence might be stronger because people between 25 and 34 are more likely to work out at health clubs compared to those over 45, who prefer to exercise at home.
And those home exercisers seem to be buying more equipment. Both commercial and home equipment sales are up by around 5 percent, and sales of elliptical machines and treadmills for home use increased by a higher percentage. http://clubindustry.com/studies/social-media-influences-fitness-trends Mass Media Influence on Society
Over the last 500 years, the influence of mass media has grown exponentially with the advance of technology. First there were books, then newspapers, magazines, photography, sound recordings, films, radio, television, the so-called New Media of the Internet, and now social media. Today, just about everyone depends on information and communication to keep their lives moving through daily activities like work, education, health care, leisure activities, entertainment, traveling, personal relationships, and the other stuff with which we are involved. It 's not unusual to wake up, check the cellphone for messages and notifications, look at the TV or newspaper for news, commute to work, read emails, take meetings and makes phone calls, eat meals with friends and family, and make decisions based on the information that we gather from those mass media and interpersonal media sources. So what? We need to be aware that the values we hold, the beliefs we harbor and the decisions we make are based on our assumptions, our experiences, our education and what we know for a fact. We rely on mass media for the current news and facts about what is important and what we should be aware of. We trust the media as an authority for news, information, education and entertainment. Considering that powerful influence, then, we should know how it really works. How media Influence us The degree of influence depends on the availability and pervasiveness of media. All of the traditional mass media still have great influence over our lives. Books once were supremely influential because they came first before newspapers, magazines, radio or television. Newspapers and magazines became great influencers after they were developed. Sound recordings and film were and still are influential. Radio and then television were very influential. As the 20th century closed, TV exposed us to untold numbers of images of advertising and marketing, suffering and relief, sexuality and violence, celebrity, and much more. New and influential media-distribution channels have appeared in the 21st century. Delivered via the World Wide Web across the Internet, we are influenced daily by blogs, wikis, social networks, virtual worlds and myriad forms of content sharing. Who controls the message?
Who owns the media companies that shape our values, beliefs and decisions? A media conglomerate or media group is a company that owns many mass media businesses. According to a recent Fortune 500 list, the top five in terms of revenue are:

• Walt Disney Company
• News Corporation
• Time Warner
• CBS Corporation
• Viacom

Other well-known major conglomerates include:
• NBC Universal
• Sony Corporation of America

Together, these giants control 95% of all the traditional media we receive every day. These media conglomerates own the major television and radio broadcast stations and networks and programing, video news, sports entertainment, entertainment theme parks, movie studios, integrated telecommunications, wireless mobile entertainment and information distribution systems, video games software, electronic and print media, the music industry, and a whole lot more. Back in the day, there was more diversity in companies, but they have merged over the decades so now they are few in number. Today 's huge merged companies have the power to shape our opinions and beliefs and influence our decisions. This is why it 's important to be aware of what we are exposed to every day, so we can look at things from different perspectives and not just from the perspective of a medium. Why are audience ratings important? Money. Revenues. Profits. A commercial medium wants to sell ad space or time to businesses with products or services for sale. To make that sale, they need to be able to tell potential advertisers that their messages on the air, in print, or on the monitor screen will be viewed and heard by large numbers of consumers.
For example, here are Nielsen program ratings for cable news channels for April 2012:
1. The O 'Reilly Factor – Fox News — 2.87 million total viewers 2. Hannity – Fox News — 2.075 million total viewers 3. Special Report with Bret Baier – Fox News — 1.778 million total viewers 4. On the Record with Greta van Susteren – Fox News — 1.722 million total viewers 5. Fox Report with Shepard Smith – Fox News — 1.688 million total viewers 6. The Five – Fox News — 1.674 million total viewers 7. America 's Newsroom – Fox News — 1.272 million total viewers 8. Your World with Neil Cavuto – Fox News — 1.252 million total viewers 9. O 'Reilly Factor (11PM) – Fox News — 1.22 million total viewers 10. America Live – Fox News — 1.191 million total viewers 11. Studio B – Fox News — 1.113 million total viewers 12. Fox & Friends – Fox News — 1.082 million total viewers 13. Happening Now – Fox News — 1.029 million total viewers 14. The Rachel Maddow Show – MSNBC — 985,000 total viewers 15. The Last Word with Lawrence O 'Donnell – MSNBC — 931,000 total viewers 16. The Ed Show – MSNBC — 875,000 total viewers 17. Hardball with Chris Matthews – MSNBC — 744,000 total viewers 18. PoliticsNation – MSNBC — 712,000 total viewers 19. Piers Morgan Tonight – CNN — 567,000 total viewers 20. The Situation Room – CNN — 548,000
Notice that programs owned by News Corporation dominate the first 13. The next five are NBC Universal programs and the bottom two in the top 20 list are Time Warner programs. Bill O 'Reilly has five times as many viewers as Wolf Blitzer.
How do media influence public opinion? Media shape public opinion in different ways depending on the content. Here 's an example: Following the 9/11 terrorism, media coverage followed accusations by government authorities that pointed toward al Qaeda as the group that carried out the attack on the United States and Osama bin Laden as leader of that group. Those news reports on the attack and the aftermath shaped public opinion to support the war on terrorism. Other ways to influence public opinion include political advertising. Trends for and against political candidates are measured by public opinion polls. Candidates raise money to pay for media exposure -- political advertising -- that influences public opinion so they will receive more votes on Election Day.
How do ads influence us? The media altogether receive billions of dollars in revenue from the advertising they sell and that we are exposed to. Ads in print, on the air and on the Internet tell us what products and services are good. After seeing thousands of persuasive advertising messages, we make buying decisions based on what we saw in newspaper and magazine ads, saw and heard in television and radio ads, and saw and heard in ads on websites. Those ads tell us we can trust a product or service and that many people we know are buying the product or service and liking it.
• We buy what we see on TV or in the newspaper or on a Web page.
• We buy things to which our favorite celebrities testify.

• We buy goods that media tell us are fashionable and acceptable to society.

Here 's an example: If a recreational sport gets a lot of attention from media and through that media exposure your friends begin to enjoy it, you will be more likely to engage in the sport. Another example: Advertising can have a negative influence on teenagers through the depiction of celebrity movie stars using tobacco products, exposure to thousands of junk food ads, the constant excessive exposure of sexual and violent images, and endless beer ads
We all want to be accepted by our peers. We want to be loved. We want to be successful.
• Media depict idealized images of handsome men and beautiful women.
• Media depict idealized characteristics of a successful person.

If you are not like those beautiful, handsome and successful people, advertising tells you it 's time to buy the goods necessary to look like they look. A sad example: Teenage obesity and anorexia have been identified in recent years as nationwide problems. Even while millions of adolescents presumably are fighting obesity, they are exposed to countless advertisements for fattening junk food juxtaposed against countless idealized images of successful people appearing thin. Many girls and women of average proportions have been influenced to want to look like the images of super-thin models and celebrities they see in media, so they allow themselves to acquire eating disorders, which lead to health issues and even death.

The Power of Social Media to Affect Our Health and Fitness Tara Sabo (July 25, 2013)
Truth: For the longest time, I fought the whole Facebook thing. I thought it was stupid. I thought it was a waste of time. I 'm traditional in the sense that I 'd rather just keep in touch like old times via phone, letter, or whatever. But now, I 'm all over Facebook. Mostly for fitness purposes. In fact, I 'm not sure I 'd even have a Facebook account if it weren 't for my blog, A Daily Dose of Fit. I understood the value of getting my blog on the social networking site, but I couldn 't do that until I, myself, was on Facebook.
So I 'm on Facebook. But truth be told: I don 't use it that much. At least not in the traditional sense. I don 't post any pictures of my daughter on it. I rarely post pictures of myself on it. Status updates? Few and far in between. But, geeze... I 'm on Facebook every day to keep track of my peers in the health and fitness world.
The groups and businesses I follow keep me informed. They inspire me to be my best in every aspect of my health and fitness. I am certain it would be much harder to keep track of them if I didn’t have Facebook. In fact, some of the groups might not even exist without Facebook. Facebook is the best of being social in one powerhouse of a platform. And just like Twitter, it’s a constant conversation.
That’s mostly why I love Facebook. It channels the best of the news, views and product reviews that relate to my interests, and it puts them all in one feed that fosters interaction as I see fit.
How Social Media Changes Our Health
Facebook = Social Media = A big influence on your health and fitness
Back in June, I ran the Chicago Women’s Half Marathon. Three weeks before race day, they posted an image of the finisher’s medal on their Facebook page. Let’s be honest, a small part of me loves to run races to rack up the bling, but when I find out ahead of time that the medal is extra-awesome, it makes me want to really, truly earn it.
Had I not followed them on Facebook, I might not have seen that image ahead of time. I certainly wouldn’t have been able to read the comments posted by the women that would ultimately be running alongside me. Talk about motivation!
Those comments and that image, I carried them with me from start to finish on race day. All the positivity posted on that Facebook page fueled me in some small way. But the problem with social media is that it isn’t always positive. There is a lot of negativity out there, and it can impact your health and fitness.
Social media is loaded with images that aim to influence, from the vain-glorious seflies of beautiful women on Instagram to healthy living bloggers posting daily meal recaps, it’s easy to fall into a comparison trap. I do it, and I always have to remind myself that I am not them. Unrealistic ideals and visual stereotypes exist. They are real. But so am I. I am unique and completely my own, which means that one person’s reality cannot and should not be my very own. But imagery has the power to make us forget this, and that’s where social media can fail us. And yet, it can also educate us.

4 Ways Social Media Can Be a Force for Good (or Bad)
So let’s really dive in and look at four good and/or bad ways that social media can influence your health and fitness.
1. Social media is an endless stream of information. Participating in Twitter chats and joining niche groups on Facebook gives you access to like minded people. Updates from other runners can inspire you to push harder, and links to races can inform you of events you may never have known about. Blogs in your Feedly line up post after post of personal experiences that can semi-relate to you and your life. After all, you wouldn 't follow them if they didn 't, right? These people, their information and experiences, make you want to be your very best. To do your very best. They make you want to participate. And for some, deciding to participate in any type of fitness activity is challenge #1.
2. Social media can trap you in a sea of self-criticism. It 's so easy to compare. It 's so easy to look in the mirror and tell yourself that you aren 't good enough, or to look in a magazine and decide you 'll never be that pretty or that skinny. Images traveling throughout social media can do that to you, too. Instagram, as we’ve discussed already, puts an endless stream of ab shots, flexed muscles and plank times right in your face for self-comparison. And consequently, self-criticism. Whenever you engage in social media environments, remind yourself: THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT ME. It 's okay if I don 't match them perfectly. Be sure to follow only those that really, truly tell you an awesome story...good abs or not.
3. Social media links to tools and technology that make it easy to keep track of your health and fitness. From MapMyRun to MyFitnessPal and countless other social applications, you can connect yourself one step further to those that do as you do — or not! Keep yourself quiet on these platforms and use them to keep track of your own progression. They can be really great for that. But if you engage on a social level, the inspiration is yours for the taking. A recent CNN article quotes that "social features on fitness devices play three roles: They motivate people; the various interactions act as triggers for action; and sharing information and tips can increase ability.”
4. Social media gives a voice to anyone; be wary of misinformation. Give someone a blog, and they’re suddenly a personal trainer, pumping out workouts that promise "shape-up" results or "burner" sensations in target muscle groups. In health forums where people can chat about medical issues, anyone can provide an answer that 's "right" above all others. So be really careful about the information you absorb. Pick and choose your sources wisely. For example, when I give you workouts to try or fitness advice to consider, it comes backed by my experience as a certified personal trainer. But when I dish out diet advice, though it stems from research and personal experience, it 's not backed by any sort of certification — I always disclose this to you, encouraging you to do what 's right and/or best for you. Some people don 't. And that 's not right. http://greatist.com/health/social-media-affects-fitness Unraveling new media 's effects on children
Responding to a barrage of questions from the public, researchers are just starting to discover how electronic technologies influence child development.
By REBECCA A. CLAY
February 2003, Vol 34, No. 2
Print version: page 40
Consuming media, it seems, has far outstripped reading storybooks or playing dress-up as the average American child 's favorite pastime. Overall, children between the ages of two and 18 spend an average of almost five-and-a-half hours a day at home watching television, playing video games, surfing the Web or using some other form of media, revealed a 1999 Kaiser Family Foundation report called "Kids & Media @ The New Millennium." Often children multitask, engaging in more than one media-related activity at the same time.
How does all this media use affect children 's cognitive, emotional and social development? Researchers are only beginning to search for answers, now that society is taking the question seriously.
"For years, psychologists interested in answering that question had their funding proposals turned down at the National Science Foundation [NSF] and the National Institutes of Health," says Jeff McIntyre, senior legislative and federal affairs officer in APA 's Public Policy Office. "Funders would say, 'We 're not going to pay for someone to study kids ' video games. That 's silly. '"
Thanks to pressure from APA and researchers themselves, such attitudes are now changing. The NSF recently gave a group of psychologists a $2.45 million, five-year grant to study how interactive media affect children 's learning, for example. Other psychologists are tackling the question of how more traditional media such as television affect children. Although there are still many more questions than answers, one thing is becoming clearer as psychologists continue their research: No electronic medium 's effects are all good or all bad; it 's the content that makes all the difference.
Digital children
Among the research groups working to fill gaps in the knowledge base is the NSF-funded Children 's Digital Media Center project. Based at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., the center also has locations at the University of Texas at Austin, the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. "We have a whole new media world," says the project 's principal investigator, Sandra L. Calvert, PhD, a Georgetown University psychology professor and author of "Children in the Digital Age: The Role of Entertainment Technologies in Children 's Development" (Praeger, 2002). "We 're at the beginning stages of sorting out what its impact on children will be."
Building on what is known about older media, the center 's research focuses on two major questions: How does the interactivity that is a hallmark of the new technologies affect children 's ability to learn? And how do the new technologies help children create their identities?
Researchers at all the center 's sites are tackling various aspects of those questions. Projects range from studying how "chat room" interaction relates to children 's real-world social lives to finding ways to put the hero/villain archetypes popular in violent video games to use in engaging, educational programs.
"I consider myself a stealth educator," says Calvert. "What I want to do is foster a quality media environment for kids."
One of the projects at the Georgetown site features a multi-user domain called TVTOWN. Children participating in the project create "avatars," or alternative identities for themselves, and then use emotion and action menus to interact with other children online. The goal is to see how children build their identities and present themselves to each other.
Educational television
When it comes to television, much of the research so far has focused on the negative impact it has on children 's development. Brian L. Wilcox, PhD, chair of APA 's Task Force on Advertising and Children and director of the Center on Children, Families and the Law at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has summarized the literature about the effects that televised violence, sexuality and advertising have on children.
The news isn 't good. Take violence, for example. While not unanimous, says Wilcox, the consensus is that exposure to violent content has generally negative effects on children 's attitudes and behaviors.
"Probably the clearest evidence we have that television influences children 's thinking and behavior is the fact that advertisers invest literally billions of dollars trying to influence the perceptions, choices and behaviors of children through advertising," says Wilcox. "We know very well that they wouldn 't be investing the amount of money they do without clear evidence that those messages are influencing kids."
Of course, television 's effects can also be positive. Plenty of psychologists have been trying to harness television 's power to help educate children. For example, Daniel R. Anderson, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts, has served as a consultant to the producers of such children 's programs as "Sesame Street," "Captain Kangaroo" and "Dora the Explorer."
Much of the commonly accepted thought about television and children is wrong, says Anderson. For example, there 's no evidence for the popular assumption that television 's rapid-fire editing style has shortened children 's attention spans. Anderson also finds himself having to convince producers that they should focus less attention on how a show looks and more on making its content understandable.
Now Anderson has an NSF grant to challenge another common idea--that having the television on in the background doesn 't affect very young children.
"Most exposure to television by infants and toddlers is actually exposure to programs being watched by someone else," says Anderson, noting that in many homes the television is on so much it becomes part of the home environment. "We don 't know what that noise and potential distraction are doing to children."
To find out, Anderson is putting children under 3-years old in a lab and watching how they play with toys and interact with their parents with and without a television on in the background. The results could form the basis of an educational campaign for parents.
Anderson 's own daughter has helped with his research. The fact that she watched a "Blue 's Clues" pilot 17 times before losing interest prompted Anderson 's research on the effect of repetition. His discovery that repetition reinforces learning resulted in Nickelodeon 's strategy of repeating episodes on five consecutive days.
However, Anderson says his research interest hasn 't made his daughter a television addict. Now 10, Emma prefers to read.
Rebecca A. Clay is a writer in Washington, D.C.
Further reading
Anderson, D.R., & Evans, M.K. (2001). Perils and potential of media for toddlers. Zero To Three, 22(2), 10-16.
Calvert, S.L., & Jordan, A.B. (Eds.). (2001). Children in the digital age. [Special issue.] Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 22(1).
Kaiser Family Foundation. (1999). Kids & media @ the new millennium. Menlo Park, CA. Available at www.kff.org/topics.cgi?year=1999.
Wilcox, B.L., & Kunkel, D. (1996). Taking television seriously: Children and television policy. In E.F. Sigler, S.L. Kagan, & N.W. Hall (Eds.), Children, families, and government: Preparing for the twenty-first century. Cambridge University Press.

http://www.divinecaroline.com/self/wellness/how-media-affects-self-esteem-and-body-image-young-girls

How the Media Affects the Self Esteem and Body Image of Young Girls
By amanda von schlegel

How the Media Affects the Self Esteem and Body Image of Young Girls Growing up, almost everyone deals with the process of losing that horrible baby fat, blaming their mom because of all the Twinkies and Ding Dongs she bought. Some though, are lucky enough to get out of that stage and lose weight, learning what calories are. They noticed though that once they lose weight, they want to be skinnier; like a model. They lose sight of the healthy reasons for their weight loss evolving it into reasons portrayed by the media of the self-image. Though people can’t always see that watching all the skinny models and girls in Hollywood seeming so “perfect” affect their persona of themselves, it does. The media puts such an intense pressure on young girls today to look like the “ideal” image. The medias harmful affect on the self body image and self esteem of young girls has brought about some of these three damaging effects: eating disorders, mental depression, and physical depression. Calories. A word most typical young girls fear. The media is always soliciting a new form of a pill or company to jump on board with to lose weight; showing gorgeous, tan, cardboard abs, perfect figured girls next to the ad. Seeing this gorgeous girl no doubt would motivate anyone to want to workout to look like that. Many girls though have been choosing the easy way out to losing weight, feeling the need to starve themselves and thus developing an eating disorder. “Women may directly model unhealthy eating habits presented in the media, such as fasting or purging, because the media-portrayed thin ideal body type is related to eating pathology”(Stice, Schupak-Neuberg, Shaw & Stein, 1994). In the article An Intervention for the Negative Influence of Media on Body Esteem by Haas, et al., they mentioned a study done by Fister and Smith (2004) on the effect of media images to women and its relationship to eating disorders and subsequent thinness. “Fister and Smith found that the association between initial risk for disordered eating and subsequent thinness expectancy endorsement was much smaller in an average-size model image-viewing group than in a controled or thin model image-viewing group.” This showed that girls who were exposed to thin model images were more affected than those exposed to the average size of women. During an interview held with an up in coming model named {Britney} Kelleher, she discusses her problems with the fight to becoming overcome by an eating disorder. “ Of course. It [media] makes you think you’re not good enough. Like if you don’t starve yourself, you are never going to fit in; be able to be a model. You’re not the ideal size or look.” She also mentioned her prior struggles from losing 30 pounds and now still feeling too big even though she is stick thin. So, at what point will any of us feel like we reach the medias “expectations”? In Allie Kovar’s article, Effects of the Media on Body Image, she mentions that “the national eating disorder Association (2006) reports that in the past 70 years national rates of incidences of all eating disorders have dramatically increased across the board . . . Bulimia in women between the ages of 10 to 39 has more than tripled.” (Kovar, 1). This information being found six years ago leaves to wonder how much worse it has gotten between then to now; 2012. Though we are unable to stop the effects of media images on this growing epidemic of eating disorders, we must train our minds to not be affected by such “unrealistic body shapes” (Kovar, 2). Another feature that follows along with the medias effect on young girls is mental depression. In Self- Enhancing Effects of Exposure to Thin-Body Images by Joshi et al., it mentions, “exposing young women to images of thin, attractive models increases body dissatisfaction and other negative feelings” (Heinberg & Thompson, 1995). Continuously being exposed to these images brought about many negative connotations in the self-image of women. The same model in which I mentioned earlier talked about how the medias images of the “ideal” body personally affected her and how it made her succumb to depression. “Practically all the time, I’ll get really down on myself for looking the way I do, some days it’s worse than others. I get really depressed about it. Thinking, I’m so tall, why be fat too? That would make me a thousand times bigger . . . Models CAN’T be fat.” The effects of the media on this young 18 year old girl has made her feel unconfident because she doesn’t feel she measures up to the medias standards. Yet “the average women does not look like the images depicted in magazines”(Joshi et. al, 334) shown by the media, so why do they constantly feel pressure to look like that? Research has shown that mental depression begins at a young age, kids learning by what they have seen in the media as “ideal,” following them into their teenage and even adult years. “If children grow up seeing thin women in advertisements, on television, and in film they accept this as reality and try to imitate their appearance and their actions”(Nature vs. Nurture, Shea, 1). When they find this appearance to be impossible they get down on themselves and begin to feel inadequate, just as the model Britney felt. For many girls depressed from the exposure to the ultra thin air brushed pictures need to be “informed of the measures that are taken to alter many images in advertisements in order to clarify that humans do not naturally look like those illustrations”, therefore they shouldn’t compare their bodies with these photo-shopped illusions of perfection (An Intervention for the Negative Influence of Media on Body Esteem, Haas et. al, 3). Physical depression. A side affect; weight gain. An imperfection that no woman is immune to. What though is the cause of weight gain in a world infatuated with being skinny? In a world where Americans are bigger than ever, society still illuminates svelte, athletic images. Many manufactures and retailers are hesitant to embrace the reality of today’s women’s body, plus size, (Silverman, 2) for the media still fights for “idealness.” “The ideal female has become thinner while the average American woman has become heavier…”(Domil, 2). Size matters! Many women blame the media as a cause to their weight gain. Blaming the pressures put on them to look good causes depression because they never feel good enough so as the term is said, “they eat their feelings.” Curious to whether or not the media played an aspect in weight gain, model Britney shared her beliefs in causes for being overweight. “People are just fat because they are lazy. They blame the media and although for some it could be the media, I feel it has nothing to do with advertisements. They’re just lazy and like food.” {Britney} disagrees that the media can have such an affect on people but is food really just the outer excuse hiding something deeper? Those who have broken free from the medias chains just in time to control its endangering affects are no doubt glad. No matter where we are or what we do in life, media is going to be there right by our side. The media is only going to get worse and put more pressure on the self body image of how it should “ideally” look. There will always be the damaging affects of eating disorders, mental depression, and physical depression but its up to us to whether or not we are going to let it shape us. Next time we begin to feel like we are not good enough, we need to remember that everyone feels the same way we do at one point in life; we are not alone. The twigs we see on TV are unrealistic and unhealthy America; we ourselves are the true ideal of the human body

Media 's Positive & Negative Influence on Teenagers
Media is a vast form of communication that permeates nearly every aspect of modern culture. Teenagers are exposed to all sorts of media outlets, from television, movies and advertising to social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram. Media isn 't inherently positive or negative; however, teens should have a healthy balance between exposure to media and other, intellectually and physically stimulating activities, says the Palo Alto Medical Foundation.
Image and Beauty Standards: Negative
It 's no secret that media has had an increasingly negative impact on the way teenage girls measure their personal image and beauty standards. The sizes of supermodels and actresses often influence teenage girls -- who are actively seeking to find an identity -- to believe they have to be thin to exemplify beauty. Magazine advertisements encourage teenage girls to think their hair needs to be long or short, red, blond or brunette -- whatever the flavor of the month -- in order to be considered beautiful. In order to minimize the effect of these messages, Boise State University psychology professor, Mary Pritchard, writing for "The Huffington Post," praises parents who limit their teens ' exposure to various media outlets. Teens should be taught to value their own definitions of beauty above all else.
Glorifying Negative Behaviors: Negative
Movies and television programs often show characters using drugs and alcohol and engaging in violent behaviors. At a developmental stage when teens seek greater freedom and independence, the glorification of drugs, alcohol, risky sexual and violent behaviors in the media make it challenging for teens to make responsible behavioral choices. Still, media cannot solely be blamed for teens ' consumption of drugs and alcohol, or involvement in sexual activities; ultimately it 's up to parents to teach their teens about the negative consequences associated with risky behaviors, and the false images often perpetuated in the media for financial gain. Palo Alto Medical Foundation suggests that teens learn to use their critical thinking skills -- and parents can help them in this area -- by distinguishing fantasy from reality, and analyzing the agendas and target audiences of various advertisements.
Cultural and Political Awareness: Positive
The Raising Children Network says that teens can benefit from media exposure by developing cultural and political awareness. Television, films, magazines and social media sites expose teens -- who may otherwise be limited to interactions with people from their own cultural and ethnic backgrounds -- to an array of different people. While family members and peers may perpetuate stereotypes of different cultural groups, media outlets can offer a diverse display of cultural or ethnic groups -- such as Asian, Latino and Black Americans -- that encourage teens to think critically and question cultural stereotypes. News outlets, such as CNN, Fox News and Al-Jazeera English, provide teens with an opportunity to develop a political stance. Exposure to news and information about events occurring around the world also allow teens to participate in charitable acts or consider other ways to engage in benevolent deeds.
Social Skills Development: Positive
Teens can learn to enhance social interactions with their peers through involvement in social media, says the Raising Children Network. Quite often, friendships on social media sites are merely offline extensions of existing, face-to-face relationships. Social media also allows teens to cultivate new friendships, which brings them access to wider networks and provides even greater learning and social opportunities. Other benefits for teens engaged in social media include increased social confidence, more social support and heightened media literacy. Social media diversifies teens ' social skills, which will help them navigate through a technologically astute society.

By K. Nola Mokeyane, Demand media

http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/medias-positive-negative-influence-teenagers-10506.html

Sex, religion, media falseAlley-Young, Gordon; Claussen, Dane S.Canadian Journal of Communication28.2 (2003): 227-239.
Edited by Dane S. Claussen. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2002. 295 pp. ISBN 0742515575.
Drawing its chapters from theses, dissertations, and ongoing research programs, Sex, Religion, Media takes its name from three institutions that are said to shape America 's attitudes, values, and rituals on a daily basis. The book 's editor, Dane S. Claussen, has authored Anti-Intellectualism in American Media: Magazines and Higher Education (2002) and has edited and contributed to two books on the "Promise Keepers" (Claussen, 1999, 2000). He offers Sex, Religion, Media to fill what he perceives to be a gap in the literature on media-sexual-religious issues from a variety of political and research perspectives.
Claussen argues that the American (and apparently Canadian) media lack the competence to effectively portray, report, or provide analyses of subjects combining religion and sexuality. Two reasons are suggested for this lack of competence: the first is that media workers, in particular journalists, are not educated to negotiate the often perilous terrain that blends the sacred and the secular. And second, Claussen cites the media 's denial of, or dishonesty about, religious organizations ' views of human sexuality. The book is an attempt to highlight these shortcomings in a forum that includes journalism, mass communication, history, sociology, religious studies, and various perspectives of faith.
The book 's 19 chapters are organized into four subsections. The section headings are somewhat perfunctory in the sense that they do little to articulate a central argument for the book. It seems instead that the book was sectioned in order to accommodate what is a wide range of scholarship. The result is that the sections of the book are loose and certain chapters could, depending on the schema brought by the reader, seem better placed in sections other than those in which they appear. The individual chapters, while not organized into a coherent whole, reflect quality research that draws primarily on textual analysis, content analysis (qualitative and quantitative), rhetorical analysis, and historical-archival research.
The first section, addressing engagement and avoidance of sex and religion in media production, provides analyses of how the media either strikes a balance between religious and secular audience demands or, in the case of the news media, avoids reporting on Church sex scandals that continue to rock the foundations of faith. Iain A.G. Barrie 's chapter "A Broken Trust" re-creates, through interviews, content analysis, and archival research reveals how the Canadian media failed the public by skirting coverage of Catholic Church sex-abuse scandals in Ontario and in Newfoundland. Barrie concludes that reporters ' lack of experience with religious controversy and the stifling influence wielded by the Church on the media exacerbated the effects of the scandals on both victims and on the faithful. Meanwhile, Barrie observes, the journalistic establishment continues today in its ambivalent stance toward religion.
In the second section, dealing with media content, conservatives, sex, and the "liberal establishment," conservative Christian and critic of popular culture Donald Wildmon is the focus of two chapters. Robert R. Mendenhall 's chapter "Responses to Television" rejects sensationalism to frame Wildmon and his organizations within the social conflict theory of mass media development as one of a number of competing and conflicting interests operating within the popular media. Natalie Jo Brackett-Vinyard demonstrates through her content analysis in "Media Coverage of the Man the Networks Love to Hate" how print media fail to make logical and accurate arguments when reporting on Wildmon 's crusades against media depravity.
The chapters in Section 2 specifically criticize the media 's tendency to misrepresent or mock the perspectives of the faithful. Todd Rendleman seeks to put forth a fair representation of the evangelical Christian with his audience analysis of the film The Rapture, but he fails to provide the detailed subject responses and depth of analysis to accomplish his goal. Rendleman fails to explore meaning beyond the surface level of his respondents ' brief statements and draws very obvious conclusions. As a consequence, his respondents appear one-dimensional and lacking in introspection, mirroring how they might be depicted by a liberally biased media.
Chapters in the third section, on media content, liberals, sex, and the "conservative establishment," range in topic from biblical Web sites addressing sexuality to the gay and lesbian religious movements to news reports focusing on new religious movements ' (i.e., cults ') perceived deviant sexual practice. In this section, Herman R. Foushee uses content analysis in his chapter "Cult Sex" to identify the media 's tendency to focus news reports on new religious movements ' perceived sexual deviancy. This provides a worthwhile case study of the media 's efforts to construct and maintain a social reality, standing in contrast to preceding chapters that attest to the news media 's reluctance to report the sexual scandals of revered religious institutions.
The final section, on media agenda-setting and cultivation of religion and sex, looks to the future by attempting to assess the impact of religious-sexual-media discourse in the lives of youth and their families as they reconcile sexuality with spirituality. A standout in this section is Justin Jagosh 's " 'Oh God, My Kid Is Gay! ' " which is also the final chapter of the book. The author argues that religious parents of gay and lesbian children are caught within a negative social reality of homosexuality co-constructed by stereotypical television images and religious beliefs.
I previously described the book as a forum, a descriptor that seems particularly relevant here as I revisit the range of research methods, theories, and spiritual standpoints that this work assembles. The book is certainly relevant to the fields of journalism, media, and mass communication but has a capacity that far exceeds any one academic discipline--and therein lies its strength. Although much of the book positions the nexus of sex-religion-media as competing interests, it seems appropriate that it ends with a chapter that recognizes how the nexus can collude to create problematic representations that are ultimately the individual viewer 's responsibility to deconstruct and understand. Though not deliberately organized in this way, I see the book proceeding from macro-level analyses of the social reality created in the nexus of the discourses of sex, religion, and media through to a micro-level focus on individual agency as it pertains to making meaning from this presented reality. Read in this way, the book creates the expectation that future researchers revisit the individual as a site of meaning. As faith, sexuality, and media literacy evolve, the previously posited relationship of the book 's title institutions as shapers of American culture can no longer be assumed as absolute.
References
Claussen, Dane S. (2002). Anti-intellectualism in American media: Magazines and higher education. New York: Peter Lang Publishing.
Claussen, Dane S. (Ed.). (1999). The Promise Keepers: Essays on masculinity and Christianity. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company.
Claussen, Dane S. (Ed.). (2000). Standing on the promises: The Promise Keepers and the revival of manhood. Cleveland: Pilgrim Press.
Gordon Alley-Young
Southern Illinois University
Word count: 1131
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Copyright Simon Fraser University. Dept. of Communication 2003

Scientific Method for Sociology
Basic Sociological Research Concepts
Sociological Research: Designs, Methods
Ethics in Sociological Research
Evaluating Sociological Research
Sociology as Science
The Role and Influence of Mass Media
Mass media is communication—whether written, broadcast, or spoken—that reaches a large audience. This includes television, radio, advertising, movies, the Internet, newspapers, magazines, and so forth.

Mass media is a significant force in modern culture, particularly in America. Sociologists refer to this as a mediated culture where media reflects and creates the culture. Communities and individuals are bombarded constantly with messages from a multitude of sources including TV, billboards, and magazines, to name a few. These messages promote not only products, but moods, attitudes, and a sense of what is and is not important. Mass media makes possible the concept of celebrity: without the ability of movies, magazines, and news media to reach across thousands of miles, people could not become famous. In fact, only political and business leaders, as well as the few notorious outlaws, were famous in the past. Only in recent times have actors, singers, and other social elites become celebrities or “stars.”
The current level of media saturation has not always existed. As recently as the 1960s and 1970s, television, for example, consisted of primarily three networks, public broadcasting, and a few local independent stations. These channels aimed their programming primarily at two‐parent, middle‐class families. Even so, some middle‐class households did not even own a television. Today, one can find a television in the poorest of homes, and multiple TVs in most middle‐class homes. Not only has availability increased, but programming is increasingly diverse with shows aimed to please all ages, incomes, backgrounds, and attitudes. This widespread availability and exposure makes television the primary focus of most mass‐media discussions. More recently, the Internet has increased its role exponentially as more businesses and households “sign on.” Although TV and the Internet have dominated the mass media, movies and magazines—particularly those lining the aisles at grocery checkout stands—also play a powerful role in culture, as do other forms of media.
What role does mass media play? Legislatures, media executives, local school officials, and sociologists have all debated this controversial question. While opinions vary as to the extent and type of influence the mass media wields, all sides agree that mass media is a permanent part of modern culture. Three main sociological perspectives on the role of media exist: the limited‐effects theory, the class‐dominant theory, and the culturalist theory.

Limited-effects theory
The limited‐effects theory argues that because people generally choose what to watch or read based on what they already believe, media exerts a negligible influence. This theory originated and was tested in the 1940s and 1950s. Studies that examined the ability of media to influence voting found that well‐informed people relied more on personal experience, prior knowledge, and their own reasoning. However, media “experts” more likely swayed those who were less informed. Critics point to two problems with this perspective. First, they claim that limited‐effects theory ignores the media 's role in framing and limiting the discussion and debate of issues. How media frames the debate and what questions members of the media ask change the outcome of the discussion and the possible conclusions people may draw. Second, this theory came into existence when the availability and dominance of media was far less widespread.
Class-dominant theory
The class‐dominant theory argues that the media reflects and projects the view of a minority elite, which controls it. Those people who own and control the corporations that produce media comprise this elite. Advocates of this view concern themselves particularly with massive corporate mergers of media organizations, which limit competition and put big business at the reins of media—especially news media. Their concern is that when ownership is restricted, a few people then have the ability to manipulate what people can see or hear. For example, owners can easily avoid or silence stories that expose unethical corporate behavior or hold corporations responsible for their actions.
The issue of sponsorship adds to this problem. Advertising dollars fund most media. Networks aim programming at the largest possible audience because the broader the appeal, the greater the potential purchasing audience and the easier selling air time to advertisers becomes. Thus, news organizations may shy away from negative stories about corporations (especially parent corporations) that finance large advertising campaigns in their newspaper or on their stations. Television networks receiving millions of dollars in advertising from companies like Nike and other textile manufacturers were slow to run stories on their news shows about possible human‐rights violations by these companies in foreign countries. Media watchers identify the same problem at the local level where city newspapers will not give new cars poor reviews or run stories on selling a home without an agent because the majority of their funding comes from auto and real estate advertising. This influence also extends to programming. In the 1990s a network cancelled a short‐run drama with clear religious sentiments, Christy, because, although highly popular and beloved in rural America, the program did not rate well among young city dwellers that advertisers were targeting in ads.
Critics of this theory counter these arguments by saying that local control of news media largely lies beyond the reach of large corporate offices elsewhere, and that the quality of news depends upon good journalists. They contend that those less powerful and not in control of media have often received full media coverage and subsequent support. As examples they name numerous environmental causes, the anti‐nuclear movement, the anti‐Vietnam movement, and the pro‐Gulf War movement.
While most people argue that a corporate elite controls media, a variation on this approach argues that a politically “liberal” elite controls media. They point to the fact that journalists, being more highly educated than the general population, hold more liberal political views, consider themselves “left of center,” and are more likely to register as Democrats. They further point to examples from the media itself and the statistical reality that the media more often labels conservative commentators or politicians as “conservative” than liberals as “liberal.”
Media language can be revealing, too. Media uses the terms “arch” or “ultra” conservative, but rarely or never the terms “arch” or “ultra” liberal. Those who argue that a political elite controls media also point out that the movements that have gained media attention—the environment, anti‐nuclear, and anti‐Vietnam—generally support liberal political issues. Predominantly conservative political issues have yet to gain prominent media attention, or have been opposed by the media. Advocates of this view point to the Strategic Arms Initiative of the 1980s Reagan administration. Media quickly characterized the defense program as “Star Wars,” linking it to an expensive fantasy. The public failed to support it, and the program did not get funding or congressional support.
Culturalist theory
The culturalist theory, developed in the 1980s and 1990s, combines the other two theories and claims that people interact with media to create their own meanings out of the images and messages they receive. This theory sees audiences as playing an active rather than passive role in relation to mass media. One strand of research focuses on the audiences and how they interact with media; the other strand of research focuses on those who produce the media, particularly the news.
Theorists emphasize that audiences choose what to watch among a wide range of options, choose how much to watch, and may choose the mute button or the VCR remote over the programming selected by the network or cable station. Studies of mass media done by sociologists parallel text‐reading and interpretation research completed by linguists (people who study language). Both groups of researchers find that when people approach material, whether written text or media images and messages, they interpret that material based on their own knowledge and experience. Thus, when researchers ask different groups to explain the meaning of a particular song or video, the groups produce widely divergent interpretations based on age, gender, race, ethnicity, and religious background. Therefore, culturalist theorists claim that, while a few elite in large corporations may exert significant control over what information media produces and distributes, personal perspective plays a more powerful role in how the audience members interpret those messages.

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/sciences/sociology/contemporary-mass-media/the-role-and-influence-of-mass-media http://www.eagleboysranch.com/teenagers-media.php Teenagers And The Media The effect that our society has on young adolescents is a profound and dangerous one. Our culture is filled with endless outlets of expression, advertising, and persuasion, many of which are used without any thoughts as to the moral consequences they bear. Magazines, movies, tv shows, social networking sites and many more sources of media have a daily influence on everyone that comes into contact with them and they maintain an especially great effect on young teenagers, struggling through a turbulent and confusing stage of life. Such influences can present extraordinary psychological challenges and upsets in the life of a young teenager and if they aren’t balanced out by the presence of advice and open communication from a loving parent or caretaker they can often overwhelm what might have been an otherwise healthy, stable, and mature young adult.

The media is often a source of anxiety for young teenagers not only because of the confusing and often contradicting messages it sends but also because of how deeply ingrained it has become in every aspect of our lives. Teenagers are constantly inundated with messages from various groups, each with their own agenda (almost always an aim to sell), and few that have a young teens best interests at heart.

Teenagers spend their days online visiting sites like facebook, twitter, myspace, as well as playing video games, watching tv, and even reading books that send them confused messages. Online teens see photos of drinking, partying, drug abuse, casual sex and other irresponsible behavior, while being sold on the idea of having a “sophisticated” lifestyle. Social networking sites have become preferred outlets for interaction and remove any subtlety or relevance messages contain leaving teens confused about the ideas and images their being show. Casual flirting can transfer across cyberspace as harassment and, even worse, harassment may not seem as serious or severe when experience through a computer screen. Ideas and information about serious topics such as sex, alcohol, violence, and so forth are watered down, joked about, and discussed nonchalantly online all the while giving teenagers false impressions about the gravity of the decisions they make and the effect those decisions have on their futures. The world has changed and with it emerging technologies have shifted how our teenagers view themselves and those around them.

When not connecting with friends online teenagers are exposed to endless other sources of mixed messages. They can innocently listen to their favorite singers new song online and then minutes later watch a video of them drunk at a party. Teenagers can spend time researching school homework via the internet only to find themselves bombarded with ads for online dating websites, single “hook-up” forums, and the like. The messages are mixed and unclear but with a dangerous undercurrent of what society wants their behavior to look like.

Magazines continue to portray the airbrushed goddesses young girls believe they should look like and are filled with little more than beauty and sex advice forcing teenager girls to play dual roles in society. Tv shows and movies tell them to be casual and carefree with their lives while still being responsible and taking care of everyone around them. They have to be smart but not enough to threaten the boys like, beautiful but without putting any effort into it, and sexy but certainly not sexual. The messages are inconsistent and impossible, leaving adolescent girls not only confused and frustrated by their deemed roles in society but also uncertain as to which parts of themselves are acceptable and which are meant to be fettered away.

Young boys suffer from a different plight but one that they are exposed to in a similar fashion. Teenage boys are meant to excel in sports, math, and science areas while shunning other pursuits and sticking to more masculine endeavors. They are pushed by the media to be conquerors, pushing through obstacles, achieving various rites of maturity, and obtaining as much pleasure from life as they can in the form of women, money, and power. They are show images of what men should look like, how they should behave (specifically towards women) and what it “means” to be a man - usually through the efforts of companies looking to sell products that will produce such results. Teenage boys are taught violence, a disregard for life, and a disrespect for those around them through the “shoot-em-up” video games they play, the obscene music videos and television shows they watch, and the graphic depictions of women in our cultures media and pornography industry.

The results are astonishing. Bright and eager young boys and girls enter adolescence and transform. They turn into sullen, moody, depressed teenagers with violent tendencies and destructive behavior. They take on the roles society pushes on them with uncertainty and fear while being egged on by friends who have already ventured down similar paths. Many begin to experiment with drugs and alcohol, pursuing the glamorous life that is portrayed to them through so many outlets. Parents that try to coach them back to more healthy activities are met with anger, reclusion, and defiance but if left unaddressed these problems often become more serious with teens dropping out of school, contracting STD’s or becoming pregnant, and running away from home. The elegant lifestyle promised by the media is little more than an empty shell leaving hollow and unhappy teenagers to fend for themselves out in the real world after years of disorienting messages telling them what they should want, how they should behave, and who they should be.
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Fortunately, there exists hope for the teenagers of this generation and it resides in the dedication of aware and resourceful parents seeking to raise emotionally healthy teenagers. This is not an easy task by any means, but it’s fundamental that the development of young teenagers be taken on as a consideration of utmost importance and with the intent that it be a stepping stone - one that is paramount to the success of such a teenager later in life. Teenagers must be given rules to abide by in order to create a sense of structure and safety but they must also be allowed to explore and discover themselves. They need reassurance of the love and support that they have as well as the opportunity to test the boundaries of the world around them in a safe, non-destructive sort of way. Teenagers need to have frank discussions with their parents about the magnitude of the decisions that are made when they’re young. Important topics like sexuality, body image, relationships, peer pressure, and so on must be talked about in plain terms and the teenager should be encouraged to open up in a way that allows honesty and understanding to develop between parent and child. Parents should refrain from getting upset and reprimanding their children for past behavior and instead explain why different behavior would better serve the child 's interests and well-being. It’s important that above all the child feel supported and loved. Parents shouldn’t focus on rule breaking or discipline but instead on fostering behaviors that will help their teens grown and progress through their adolescent years without major issues or mishaps. It’s also essential that a strong sense of family relationship be maintained throughout this time as this can provide a supportive contrast to the alienation that many teenagers may be experiencing with their friends as they take different paths.

In the meantime it’s also necessary that parents support the growth of a healthy teenager emotionally be discussing positive and negative images the media displays and how those can relate to a teenagers life. By dispersing myths and false images portrayed by the media a parent can counter-act the level of damage that might be done by such images and can prevent their teenager from adopting any of these negative false beliefs about themselves, their bodies, or choices they might make. Overall the best thing a parent can do is love their teenager and do all that the can to help them deal with the struggles of being young in our world today.

The Impact of Media Violence on Children and Adolescents: Opportunities for Clinical Interventions
Eugene V Beresin, M.D.
Director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Training
Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital

While violence is not new to the human race, it is an increasing problem in modern society. With greater access to firearms and explosives, the scope and efficiency of violent behavior has had serious consequences. We need only look at the recent school shootings and the escalating rate of youth homicides among urban adolescents to appreciate the extent of this ominous trend. While the causes of youth violence are multifactorial and include such variables as poverty, family psychopathology, child abuse, exposure to domestic and community violence, substance abuse and other psychiatric disorders, the research literature is quite compelling that children 's exposure to media violence plays an important role in the etiology of violent behavior. While it is difficult to determine which children who have experienced televised violence are at greatest risk, there appears to be a strong correlation between media violence and aggressive behavior within vulnerable "at risk" segments of youth. In this article, I will briefly review the impact of media violence on children and adolescents, and indicate the vital role physicians can play in helping to diminish this powerful cause of violent behavior.

Over the past 30 years there has been extensive research on the relationship between televised violence and violent behavior among youth. Longitudinal, cross-sectional, and experimental studies have all confirmed this correlation. Televised violence and the presence of television in American households have increased steadily over the years. In 1950, only 10% of American homes had a television. Today 99% of homes have televisions. In fact, more families have televisions than telephones. Over half of all children have a television set in their bedrooms. This gives a greater opportunity for children to view programs without parental supervision. Studies reveal that children watch approximately 28 hours of television a week, more time than they spend in school. The typical American child will view more than 200,000 acts of violence, including more than 16,000 murders before age 18. Television programs display 812 violent acts per hour; children 's programming, particularly cartoons, displays up to 20 violent acts hourly.

How does televised violence result in aggressive behavior? Some researchers have demonstrated that very young children will imitate aggressive acts on TV in their play with peers. Before age 4, children are unable to distinguish between fact and fantasy and may view violence as an ordinary occurrence. In general, violence on television and in movies often conveys a model of conflict resolution. It is efficient, frequent, and inconsequential. Heroes are violent, and, as such, are rewarded for their behavior. They become role models for youth. It is "cool" to carry an automatic weapon and use it to knock off the "bad guys." The typical scenario of using violence for a righteous cause may translate in daily life into a justification for using violence to retaliate against perceived victimizers. Hence, vulnerable youth who have been victimized may be tempted to use violent means to solve problems. Unfortunately, there are few, if any, models of nonviolent conflict resolution in the media. Additionally, children who watch televised violence are desensitized to it. They may come to see violence as a fact of life and, over time, lose their ability to empathize with both the victim and the victimizer.

There are other, new forms of violence to which children and adolescents are exposed. In one recent study, it was demonstrated that 15% of music videos contain interpersonal violence. Still another new source of violent exposure is access to the Internet and video games. There is little data on the incidence of violence on the Internet; however, there is concern about sites that may advocate violence, provide information on the creation of explosive devices, or reveal how to acquire firearms. There is also little research on the impact of violent video games. We do know, however, that they are extensive and have a role-modeling capacity. The fact that the child gets to act out the violence, rather than to be a passive observer, as when viewing television or movies, is especially concerning to experts.

Child and adolescent psychiatrists, pediatricians and other physicians can have a major impact on the effects of media violence. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has created a list of recommendations to address television violence. It suggests that physicians talk openly with parents about the nature and extent of viewing patterns in their homes. Parents should limit television to 1-2 hours daily and watch programs with their children, enabling them to address any objectionable material seen. Physicians should make parents and schools "media literate," meaning they should understand the risks of exposure to violence and teach children how to interpret what they see on television and in the movies, including the intent and content of commercials. In doing so, children may be increasingly able to discern which media messages are suitable. Schools and homes should teach children conflict resolution. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, along with medical organizations, has been a strong advocate for television ratings and installation of chips to block certain programs. Physicians, in their role as health promoters, should become more active in educating the media to become more sensitive to the impact of violence on youth. We should be speaking up to the networks, cable vendors, local stations, federal agencies, and our political officials to help insure that programming decisions are made with an eye open to the potential consequences to the viewing audience, and that when violence is present, there are adequate warnings provided to the public. The arena of media violence is a new frontier where physicians can promote health through public education and advocacy.

Paediatr Child Health. 2003 May-Jun; 8(5): 301–306.
PMCID: PMC2792691
Impact of media use on children and youth
The influence of the media on the psychosocial development of children is profound. Thus, it is important for physicians to discuss with parents their child’s exposure to media and to provide guidance on age-appropriate use of all media, including television, radio, music, video games and the Internet.
The objectives of this statement are to explore the beneficial and harmful effects of media on children’s mental and physical health, and to identify how physicians can counsel patients and their families and promote the healthy use of the media in their communities.
TELEVISION
Television has the potential to generate both positive and negative effects, and many studies have looked at the impact of television on society, particularly on children and adolescents (1,2). An individual child’s developmental level is a critical factor in determining whether the medium will have positive or negative effects. Not all television programs are bad, but data showing the negative effects of exposure to violence, inappropriate sexuality and offensive language are convincing (3). Still, physicians need to advocate continued research into the negative and positive effects of media on children and adolescents.
Current literature suggests the following:
Physicians can change and improve children’s television viewing habits (4).
Canadian children watch excessive amounts of television (5,6).
There is a relationship between watching violent television programming and an increase in violent behaviour by children (2,7).
Excessive television watching contributes to the increased incidence of childhood obesity (8,9).
Excessive television watching may have a deleterious effect on learning and academic performance (10).
Watching certain programs may encourage irresponsible sexual behaviour (11).
Television is an effective way of advertising products to children of various ages (12).
The average Canadian child watches nearly 14 h of television each week (13). By his/her high school graduation, the average teen will have spent more time watching television than in the classroom (2). Studies show how time spent watching television varies between different age groups and cultures (1,13). This is especially relevant when studying the effects of excessive television exposure on disadvantaged populations.
The amount of time that younger North American children currently spend watching television has not decreased significantly (14). A substantial number of children begin watching television at an earlier age and in greater amounts than what experts recommend (15). Evidence suggests that television’s influence on children and adolescents is related to how much time they spend watching television (1,2,16). As a result, with prolonged viewing, the world shown on television becomes the real world (1,2).
Television viewing frequently limits children’s time for vital activities such as playing, reading, learning to talk, spending time with peers and family, storytelling, participating in regular exercise, and developing other necessary physical, mental and social skills (9). In addition to the amount of time spent in front of the television, other factors that influence the medium’s effect on children include the child’s developmental level, individual susceptibility and whether children watch television alone or with their parents.
Learning
Television can be a powerful teacher (17). Watching Sesame Street is an example of how toddlers can learn valuable lessons about racial harmony, cooperation, kindness, simple arithmetic and the alphabet through an educational television format. Some public television programs stimulate visits to the zoo, libraries, bookstores, museums and other active recreational settings, and educational videos can certainly serve as powerful prosocial teaching devices. The educational value of Sesame Street, has been shown to improve the reading and learning skills of its viewers (18). In some disadvantaged settings, healthy television habits may actually be a beneficial teaching tool (17).
Still, watching television takes time away from reading and schoolwork. More recent and well-controlled studies show that even 1 h to 2 h of daily unsupervised television viewing by school-aged children has a significant deleterious effect on academic performance, especially reading (10,19).
Violence
The amount of violence on television is on the rise (20). The average child sees 12,000 violent acts on television annually, including many depictions of murder and rape. More than 1000 studies confirm that exposure to heavy doses of television violence increases aggressive behaviour, particularly in boys (2,21–23). Other studies link television or newspaper publicity of suicides to an increased suicide risk (24–28).
The following groups of children may be more vulnerable to violence on television: children from minority and immigrant groups; emotionally disturbed children; children with learning disabilities; children who are abused by their parents; and children in families in distress (2,7).
Physicians who see a child with a history of aggressive behaviour should inquire about the child’s exposure to violence portrayed on television.
Nutrition
Because television takes time away from play and exercise activities, children who watch a lot of television are less physically fit and more likely to eat high fat and high energy snack foods (9). Television viewing makes a substantial contribution to obesity because prime time commercials promote unhealthy dietary practices (15,29). The fat content of advertised products exceeds the current average Canadian diet and nutritional recommendations, and most food advertising is for high calorie foods such as fast foods, candy and presweetened cereals (14,29). Commercials for healthy food make up only 4% of the food advertisements shown during children’s viewing time (8). The number of hours of television viewing also corresponds with an increased relative risk of higher cholesterol levels in children (8). Television can also contribute to eating disorders in teenage girls, who may emulate the thin role models seen on television (8). Eating meals while watching television should be discouraged because it may lead to less meaningful communication and, arguably, poorer eating habits (29,30).
Sexuality
Today, television has become a leading sex educator in Canada. Between 1976 and 1996, there has been a 270% increase in sexual interactions during the family hour of 2000 hours to 2100 hours(31). Television exposes children to adult sexual behaviours in ways that portray these actions as normal and risk-free, sending the message that because these behaviours are frequent, ‘everybody does it’. Sex between unmarried partners is shown 24 times more often than sex between spouses (32–35), while sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy are rarely mentioned.
Teens rank the media as the leading source of information about sex, second only to school sex education programs. Numerous studies document adolescents’ susceptibility to the media’s influence on their sexual attitudes, values and beliefs (34,35).
A detailed guide to responsible sexual content on television, and in films and music can be found in other peer-reviewed publications (35).
Some people believe that the media can influence sexual responsibility by promoting birth control, such as condom use. No current empirical evidence supports this concept; it is expected that the debate will continue.
Alcohol and smoking
Canada’s two largest breweries spend $200 million on advertising each year (36). On an annual basis, teenagers see between 1000 and 2000 beer commercials carrying the message that ‘real’ men drink beer. Convincing data suggest that advertising increases beer consumption (34,37), and in countries such as Sweden, a ban on alcohol advertising has led to a decline in alcohol consumption (38).
Tobacco products are not advertised directly on television in Canada. However, passive promotion occurs when, for example, a soap opera star lights a cigarette in a ‘macho’ act, a Formula One race car has cigarette advertising on it or sporting events carry the names of tobacco companies. There is evidence that passive advertising, which glamorizes smoking (28), has increased over the past few years.
Television is not the only way that children learn about tobacco and alcohol use; the concern is that the consequences of these behaviours are not accurately depicted on television. One-half of the G-rated animated feature films available on videocassette, as well as many music videos, show alcohol and tobacco use as normative behaviour without conveying the long term consequences of this use (39).
Advertising
Advertising can have positive effects on children’s behaviour. For example, some alcohol manufacturers spend 10% of their budget on advertisements warning about the dangers of drinking and driving. In addition, although some health care professionals disagree about the health benefits of appropriate milk use, milk consumption has increased as a result of print and broadcast advertisements.
The developmental stage of a child plays a role in the effect of commercials. Young children do not understand the concept of a sales pitch. They tend to believe what they are told and may even assume that they are deprived if they do not have advertised products. Most preschool children do not understand the difference between a program designed to entertain and a commercial designed to sell. A number of studies have documented that children under the age of eight years are developmentally unable to understand the difference between advertising and regular programming (12,40,41).
The average child sees more than 20,000 commercials each year (12). More than 60% of commercials promote sugared cereals, candy, fatty foods and toys (12). Cartoon programs based on toy products are especially attractive. Advertisements targeting adolescents are profoundly influential, particularly on cigarette use (4).
The question of whether children are more resilient to the influence of television is debated frequently. Most studies show that the more time children spend watching television, the more they are influenced by it (4). Earlier studies have shown that boys may be more susceptible than girls to television violence (25).
Education and parental involvement
High school programs promoting media awareness have been shown to be beneficial (4). They give students more understanding of how the media may affect them socially. In Canada, the Media Awareness Network has a number of resources that can be used by both professionals and the public to promote media literacy. Their resources are comprehensive, current and specifically applicable to Canadian culture (42).
Parents may use ratings but they must be used with caution. Currently, there is no consensus as to which rating system works best (43). Parental involvement in determining desirable programming is the best choice. Parents have to monitor and control their children’s viewing habits.
Studies show that parents play an important role in their children’s social learning (44), but if a parent’s views are not discussed explicitly with children, the medium may teach and influence by default. Other media, such as magazines, radio, video games and the Internet, also have the potential to influence children’s eating habits, exercise habits, buying habits and mental health. If children are allowed to be exposed to these media without adult supervision, they may have the same deleterious effects as television.
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MUSIC VIDEOS
Music videos may have a significant behavioural impact by desensitizing viewers to violence and making teenagers more likely to approve of premarital sex (45). Up to 75% of videos contain sexually explicit material (45), and more than half contain violence that is often committed against women. Women are portrayed frequently in a condescending manner that affects children’s attitudes about sex roles.
Attractive role models are the aggressors in more than 80% of music video violence. Males are more than three times as likely to be the aggressors; blacks were overrepresented and whites underrepresented. Music videos may reinforce false stereotypes. A detailed analysis of music videos raised concerns about its effects on adolescents’ normative expectations about conflict resolution, race and male-female relationships (46).
Music lyrics have become increasingly explicit, particularly with references to sex, drugs and violence. Research linking a cause-and-effect relationship between explicit lyrics and adverse behavioural effects is still in progress at this time. Meanwhile, the potential negative impact of explicit music lyrics should put parents and paediatricians on guard – paediatricians should bring this up in anticipatory guidance discussions with teenagers and their parents. At the very least, parents should take an active role in monitoring the music their children are exposed to (45).
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VIDEO GAMES
Some video games may help the development of fine motor skills and coordination, but many of the concerns about the negative effects of television (eg, inactivity, asocial behaviour and violence) also apply to excessive exposure to video games. Violent video games should be discouraged because they have harmful effects on children’s mental development (7,47). Parents should be advised to familiarize themselves with various rating systems for video games and use this knowledge to make their decisions.
The effect of violent video games on children has been a public health concern for many years. No quantitative analysis of video game contents for games rated as suitable for all audiences was made until 2001 (47). The study concluded that many video games rated as suitable for all audiences contained significant amounts of violence (64% contained intentional violence and 60% rewarded players for injuring a character). Therefore, current ratings of video games leave much room for improvement (43).
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INTERNET
Parents may feel outsmarted or overwhelmed by their children’s computer and Internet abilities, or they may not appreciate that the ‘new medium’ is an essential component of the new literacy, something in which their children need to be fluent. These feelings of inadequacy or confusion should not prevent them from discovering the Internet’s benefits. The dangers inherent in this relatively uncontrolled ‘wired’ world are many and varied, but often hidden. These dangers must be unmasked and a wise parent will learn how to protect their children by immersing themselves in the medium and taking advice from the many resources aimed at protecting children while allowing them to reap the rich benefits in a safe environment. The physician is in a good position to encourage parents and children to discover the Internet and to use it wisely.
The Internet has a significant potential for providing children and youth with access to educational information, and can be compared with a huge home library. However, the lack of editorial standards limits the Internet’s credibility as a source of information. There are other concerns as well.
The amount of time spent watching television and sitting in front of computers can affect a child’s postural development (48). Excessive amounts of time at a computer can contribute to obesity, undeveloped social skills and a form of addictive behaviour (9). Although rare, some children with seizure disorders are more prone to attacks brought on by a flickering television or computer screen. No data suggest that television viewing causes weakness of the eyes. It may be different when a child is closely exposed to a computer screen for long periods, although there are no definitive references to support this.
Other concerns include pedophiles who use the Internet to lure young people into relationships. There is also the potential for children to be exposed to pornographic material. Parents can use technology that blocks access to pornography and sex talk on the Internet, but must be aware that this technology does not replace their supervision or guidance.
There is a wealth of information on coping with the vast resources of the Web, both good and bad. Above all, parents should be encouraged to appreciate that there is potential for more good than bad, as long as one has the knowledge to tell the difference. Canadian youth claim the Internet as a defining part of their culture and an integral part of their daily lives (6). Physicians and parents alike must be armed and ready to face that challenge and ensure that they reap the potential benefits as safely as possible (Table 1).

Table 1
Benefits and risks of Internet use by children and youth
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RECOMMENDATIONS
Physicians should regularly inquire about media habits when taking a psychosocial history, using the Media History Form developed by the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) and the Media Awareness Network (51). They should also ask about video watching, use of video games, radio programs and time spent in front of the computer, especially when dealing with aggressive and particularly vulnerable children and families (7).
Physicians should become more familiar with the kinds of media to which their patients may be exposed, such as programs that portray irresponsible sex and violence, and questionable Internet sites.
Physicians should make parents aware of the significance of television early in a child’s life. By the end of the first year of a child’s life, there should be ground rules for television viewing and healthy viewing habits should be established in the second year of life. Patient education tools developed by the CPS and the Media Awareness Network can be used to supplement teaching. Visit www.caringforkids.cps.ca for more information.
Physicians should continue to increase their own level of awareness about the most recent data on the influence of media on the development of their patients’ psychosocial health (www.media-awareness.ca is one of the most comprehensive Canadian resources for further education).
Physicians are encouraged to learn about the scope of Internet-related issues to adequately advise parents during their visits for anticipatory guidance. The Media History Tool (51) can be used to identify areas of concern and to facilitate discussion with parents and children. They can be encouraged to develop a family agreement for on-line use at home. The Media Awareness Network Web site (www.media-awareness.ca) has suggestions on how to do this.
Physicians should encourage families to do the following:
Families should be encouraged to explore media together and discuss their educational value. Children should be encouraged to criticize and analyze what they see in the media. Parents can help children differentiate between fantasy and reality, particularly when it comes to sex, violence and advertising.
No child should be allowed to have a television, computer or video game equipment in his or her bedroom. A central location is strongly advised with common access and common passwords.
Television watching should be limited to less than 1 h to 2 h per day. Families may want to consider more active and creative ways to spend time together.
Older children should be offered an opportunity to make choices by planning the week’s viewing schedule in advance. Ideally, parents should supervise these choices and be good role models by making their own wise choices. Parents should explain why some programs are not suitable and praise children for making good and appropriate choices.
Families should limit the use of television, computers or video games as a diversion, substitute teacher or electronic nanny. Parents should also ask alternative caregivers to maintain the same rules for media use in their absence. The rules in divorced parents’ households should be consistent.
Physicians who want to get involved in their communities can consider the following:
Provide parents with resources and information to promote media awareness programs in their communities and schools. The Media Awareness Network (www.media-awareness.ca) has resources and research reports for parents, teachers, teenagers and others.
Promote the implementation of high school programs in media awareness, which have proven to be beneficial (4).
Express support for good media. In addition to writing to stations that broadcast responsible and good television programs, physicians and parents can support legislation that encourages more responsible media use.
Support efforts to eliminate alcohol advertising on television with the same enthusiasm that led to the elimination of tobacco advertising.
Consider accepting invitations to talk to parent groups, school boards and other organizations about the impact of media on children and youth. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Media Awareness Network have kits that include a fully scripted text, colourful slides, a fact sheet and audience handouts. Visit www.cps.ca or www.media-awareness.ca for more information.
Support further research on the impact of media on the mental and physical well-being of children and adolescents.
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Footnotes
PSYCHOSOCIAL PAEDIATRICS COMMITTEE
Members: Drs Anne C Bernard-Bonnin, Hôpital Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Quebec; Kim Joyce Burrows, Kelowna, British Columbia; Anthony Ford-Jones, Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital, Burlington, Ontario; Sally Longstaffe, Children’s Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba (chair); Theodore A. Prince, Calgary, Alberta; Sarah Emerson Shea, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia (director responsible)
Consultants: Drs Rose Geist, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario; William J Mahoney, Children’s Hospital-Hamilton HSC, Hamilton, Ontario; Peter Nieman, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Calgary, Alberta
Liaisons: Drs Joseph F. Hagan, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont (American Academy of Pediatrics); Anton Miller, Sunnyhill Health Centre for Children, Vancouver, British Columbia (Developmental Paediatrics Section, Canadian Paediatric Society)
Principal author: Drs Anthony Ford-Jones, Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital, Burlington, Ontario; Peter Nieman, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Calgary, Alberta
The recommendations in this statement do not indicate an exclusive course of treatment or procedure to be followed. Variations, taking into account individual circumstances, may be appropriate.
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REFERENCES
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3. American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Public Education Media violence. Pediatrics. 2001;108:1222–6.[PubMed]
4. Strasburger VC. Children, adolescents and the media: Five crucial issues. Adolesc Med. 1993;4:479–93.[PubMed]
5. Bernard-Bonnin AC, Gilbert S, Rousseau E, Masson P, Maheux B. Television and the 3- to 10-year old child. Pediatrics. 1991;88:48–54.[PubMed]
6. Media Awareness Network Young Canadians in a Wired World: A Students’ View. Prepared by Environics Research Group. October 2001. (Version current at May 16, 2003).
7. Josephson WL. Television Violence: A Review of the Effects on Children of Different Ages. Ottawa: National Clearinghouse on Family Violence; 1995.
8. Dietz WH, Jr, Gortmaker SL. Do we fatten our children at the television set? Obesity and television viewing in children and adolescents. Pediatrics. 1985;75:807–12.[PubMed]
9. Canadian Paediatric Society, Healthy Active Living for Children and Youth Advisory Committee Healthy active living for children and youth. Paediatr Child Health. 2002;7:339–45. [PMC free article][PubMed]
10. Strasburger VC. Does television affect learning and school performance? Pediatrician. 1986;38:141–7.[PubMed]
11. Stasburger VC. Adolescent sexuality and the media. Pediatr Clin North Am. 1989;36:747–73.[PubMed]
12. American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Communications Children, adolescents, and advertising. Pediatrics. 2001;107:423–6.[PubMed]
13. Statistics Canada Average hours per week of television viewing, Fall 2001Catalogue No. 87F0006XPE. (Version current at May 16, 2003).
14. American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Communications Children, adolescents, and television. Pediatrics. 1995;96:786–7.[PubMed]
15. Certain LK, Kahn RS. Prevalence, correlates and trajectory of television viewing among infants and toddlers. Pediatrics. 2002;109:634–42.[PubMed]
16. Luke C. Television and Your Child: A Guide for Concerned Parents. Toronto: TV Ontario; 1988.
17. Wright JC, Huston A. Effects of educational television viewing of lower income preschoolers on academic skills, school readiness and school adjustment one to three years later. Lawrence, KS: University of Kansas; 1995.
18. Huston AC, Anderson DR, Wright JC, Linebarger D, Schmitt KL. Sesame Street viewers as adolescents: The Recontact study. In: Fisch S, Truglio R, editors. G is for growing: Thirty Years of Research on Sesame Street. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum; 2000.
19. Rice ML, Woodsmall L. Lessons from television: Children’s word learning when viewing. Child Dev. 1988;59:420–9.[PubMed]
20. Paquette G. La violence sur les réseaux canadiens de télévision. Paediatr Child Health. 2003;8:293–5. [PMC free article][PubMed]
21. Comstock G, Strasburger VC. Deceptive appearances: Television violence and aggressive behaviour. J Adolesc Health Care. 1990;11:31–44.[PubMed]
22. Green RG. Television and aggression: Recent developments in research and theory. In: Zillman D, Bryant J, Huston AC, editors. Media Children and the Family: Social, Scientific, Psychodynamic and Clinical Perspectives. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum; 1994. pp. 151–62.
23. Huston AC, Donnerstein E, Fairchild H, et al. Big World, Small Screen: The Role of Television in American Society. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press; 1992.
24. Gould MS, Davidson L. Suicide contagion among adolescents. Adv Adolesc Mental Health. 1988;3:29–59.
25. Gould MS, Shaffer D, Kleinman M. The impact of suicide in television movies: Replication and commentary. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 1988;18:90–9.[PubMed]
26. Gould MS, Shaffer D. The impact of suicide in television movies. Evidence of imitation. N Engl J Med. 1986;315:690–4.[PubMed]
27. Shaffer D, Garland A, Gould M, Fisher P, Trautman P. Preventing teenage suicide. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1988;27:675–87.[PubMed]
28. Center for Media and Public Affairs Studies of television violence (Version current at May 16, 2003).
29. Ostbye T, Pomerleau J, White M, Coolich M, McWhinney J. Food and nutrition in Canadian “prime time” television commercials. Can J Public Health. 1993;84:370–4.[PubMed]
30. Briggs Rudolph G. Psychosocial parameters of internet addiction (Version current at May 16, 2003).
31. Crespo CJ, Smit E, Troiano RP, Bartlett SJ, Macera CA, Andersen RE. Television watching, energy intake, and obesity in US children: Results from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988–1994. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2001;155:360–5.[PubMed]
32. Greenberg BS, Stanley C, Siemicki M, et al. Sex Content on Soaps and Prime Time Televisions Series Viewed by Adolescents Project CAST (Children and Sex on Television), Report no 2. East Lansing: Michigan State University Department of Telecommunication; 1986.
33. Lowry DT, Towes DE. Soap opera portrayals of sex, contraception and sexually transmitted diseases. J Commun. 1989;39:76–83.
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41. Liebert RM, Sprafkin JN. The Early Window: Effects of Television on Children and Youth. 3rd edn. New York: Pergamon Press; 1988.
42. Media Awareness Network (Version current at May 16, 2003).
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46. Rich M, Woods ER, Goodman E, Emans J, DuRant RH. Aggressors or victims: Gender and race in music video violence. Pediatrics. 1998;101:669–74.[PubMed]
47. Thompson KM, Haniger K. Violence in video games. JAMA. 2001;286:591–8.[PubMed]
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TELEVISION
MUSIC VIDEOS
VIDEO GAMES
INTERNET
RECOMMENDATIONS
Footnotes
REFERENCES

Articles from Paediatrics & Child Health are provided here courtesy of Pulsus Group

http://mediasmarts.ca/body-image/body-image-girls
Media Smart

Images of female bodies are everywhere, with women and girls – and their body parts – selling everything from food to cars. Popular film and television actresses are becoming younger, taller and thinner. Women’s magazines are full of articles urging that if you can just lose those last twenty pounds, you will have it all: the perfect marriage, loving children, great sex, and a rewarding career.
Why are these impossible standards of beauty being imposed on girls, the majority of whom look nothing like the models that are being presented to them? The causes, some analysts say, are economic: by presenting a physical ideal that is difficult to achieve and maintain the cosmetic and diet industries are assured continual growth and profits. (It’s estimated that the diet industry alone brings in $60 billion (U.S.) a year selling temporary weight loss, [1] with 80 per cent of dieters regaining their lost weight.) [2] Marketers know that girls and women who are insecure about their bodies are more likely to buy beauty products, new clothes, and diet aids, and a whole media industry has developed around fuelling body dissatisfaction.
These messages are so powerful and widespread in our culture that they affect girls long before they are exposed to fashion or beauty ads or magazines: three-year-olds already prefer game pieces that depict thin people over those representing heavier ones, [3] while by age seven girls are able to identify something they would like to change about their appearance. [4] These attitudes only get more powerful as girls get older. In one survey nearly half of nine- to twelve-year-old girls said they wanted to be thinner and had either been on a diet or were aware of the concept of dieting. [5]
The effects of exposure to these images go beyond influencing girls to buy diet and beauty products. Research links exposure to images of thin, young, air-brushed female bodies to depression, loss of self-esteem and unhealthy eating habits in girls and young women: in one study half of girls ages 16-21 said they would undergo surgery to improve their bodies. [6] Poor body image may have even more serious consequences as well: a 2009 study found that girls who were unhappy with their bodies – whether they were genuinely overweight or not – were significantly more at risk for attempting suicide. [7]
Media activist Jean Kilbourne concludes that, "Women are sold to the diet industry by the magazines we read and the television programs we watch, almost all of which make us feel anxious about our weight.” [8] The barrage of messages about thinness, dieting and beauty tells "ordinary" girls that they are always in need of adjustment—and that the female body is an object to be perfected.
Kilbourne argues that the overwhelming presence of media images of painfully thin women means that real girls ' bodies have become invisible in the mass media. The real tragedy, Kilbourne concludes, is that many girls internalize these stereotypes, and judge themselves by the beauty industry 's standards. This focus on beauty and desirability "effectively destroys any awareness and action that might help to change that climate." [9]

Given the serious potential consequences, it is essential that girls and young women develop a critical understanding of the constructed nature of media representations of women 's bodies and the reasons why these images are perpetuated. More importantly, they need to be empowered to challenge these representations and advocate for more realistic representations. Because girls ' exposure to these messages starts so young, it is also vital that this education starts at an early age. http://www.westminstercollege.edu/myriad/index.cfm?parent=2514&detail=4475&content=4795 Female Body Image and the Mass Media: Perspectives on How Women Internalize the Ideal Beauty Standard by Kasey L. Serdar Sociocultural standards of feminine beauty are presented in almost all forms of popular media, barraging women with images that portray what is considered to be the "ideal body." Such standards of beauty are almost completely unattainable for most women; a majority of the models displayed on television and in advertisements are well below what is considered healthy body weight. Mass media 's use of such unrealistic models sends an implicit message that in order for a woman to be considered beautiful, she must be unhealthy. The mindset that a person can never be "too rich or too thin" is all too prevalent in society, and it makes it difficult for females to achieve any level of contentment with their physical appearance. There has been a plethora of research to indicate that women are negatively affected by constant exposure to models that fulfill the unrealistic media ideal of beauty; however, it is not clear how these images actually come to affect women 's satisfaction with their physical appearance. There are many different perspectives that can be used to explain why and how women internalize the thin-ideal. These theories include: social comparison, cultivation, and self-schema. Each perspective has helped researchers examine mechanisms by which the media images are translated into body image disturbance in women. They also provide explanations for why some females are particularly vulnerable to the detrimental effects of the media, while others display remarkable levels of resiliency.
Female Body Image Body image is a complicated aspect of the self-concept that concerns an individual 's perceptions and feelings about their body and physical appearance (Cash & Pruzinsky, 2002). Females of all ages seem to be particularly vulnerable to disturbance in this area; body dissatisfaction in women is a well-documented phenomenon in mental health literature. Researchers have called female 's concerns with their physical appearance "normative discontent;" implying that body dissatisfaction affects almost all women at some level (Striegel-Moore & Franko, 2002, p. 183; Tiggemann & Slater, 2004). Females have been found to experience dissatisfaction with physical appearance at a much higher rate than males (Striegel-Moore & Franko, 2002), and women of all ages and sizes display body image disturbance. It appears that body dissatisfaction is more closely linked to appearance-related cognitions than physical reality. People are at higher risk to display disturbed body image if they hold dysfunctional beliefs and cognitions about their physical appearance, regardless of body mass (Butters & Cash, 1987).
Concern over weight and appearance related issues often surfaces early in females ' development, and continues throughout the lifespan. The importance of physical appearance is emphasized and reinforced early in most girls ' development; studies have found that nearly half of females ages 6-8 have stated that they want to be slimmer (Striegel-Moore & Franko, 2002). Body dissatisfaction and disordered eating patterns have been found to be an especially prevalent issue in adolescent and college females (Schwitzer, Bergholz, Dore, & Salimi, 1998; Stice & Whitenton, 2002). Body image becomes a major issue as females go through puberty; girls in midadolescence frequently report being dissatisfied with weight, fearing further weight gain, and being preoccupied with weight loss (Striegel-Moore & Franko, 2002). Field et al. (1999) found that 20% of 9-year-olds and over 40 % of 14-year-olds reported wanting to lose weight. In addition, most girls who express a desire to be thinner are within the normal weight range for females their age (Striegel-Moore & Franko, 2002).
Numerous studies have verified that one 's subjective evaluation of their own appearance can have a powerful impact on a person 's development and psychosocial experiences (as cited in Butters & Cash, 1987). Researchers have found that body dissatisfaction is correlated with other forms of psychological impairment. Not surprisingly, disturbed body image is one of the main precursors for disordered eating and dieting in adolescent and young adult girls (Attie & Brooks-Gunn, 1989; Stice & Whitenton, 2002; Striegel-Moore & Schreiber, 2000; Tiggemann & Lynch, 2001). The prominence of dieting and maladaptive eating patterns has become an increasingly prevalent concern in adolescent and young adult populations; research has shown that around two-thirds of adolescent females report dieting at some point. Further, studies have shown that body dissatisfaction surpasses actual body mass as the most powerful risk factor for the development of dieting and disordered eating (Striegel-Moore & Franko, 2002).
Concerns with the development of disordered eating are an especially vital issue because such patterns have been found to be a major predictor of clinical eating disorders. Body dissatisfaction and preoccupation with food, shape, and weight are some of the core features in the diagnostic criteria of both anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Estimates of the prevalence of such disorders vary, but most state that 3% to 10% of females ages 15 to 29 could be considered anorexic or bulimic. Most individuals who develop an eating disorder start with what is considered "typical" dieting behavior. With increasing numbers of females reporting disturbed body image and engaging in dieting behavior, there has been a significant level of concern about the increasing incidence of eating disorders. This is especially true of individuals who display early signs of body image disturbance and disordered eating (Polivy & Herman, 2002).
Images of Women in the Media
Images in the media today project an unrealistic and even dangerous standard of feminine beauty that can have a powerful influence on the way women view themselves. From the perspective of the mass media, thinness is idealized and expected for women to be considered "attractive." Images in advertisements, television, and music usually portray the "ideal woman" as tall, white, and thin, with a "tubular" body, and blonde hair (Dittmar & Howard, 2004; Lin & Kulik, 2002; Polivy & Herman, 2004; Sands & Wardle, 2003; Schooler, Ward, Merriwether, & Caruthers, 2004; Tiggemann & Slater, 2003). The media is littered with images of females who fulfill these unrealistic standards, making it seem as if it is normal for women to live up to this ideal. Dittmar and Howard (2004) made this statement regarding the prevalence of unrealistic media images:
Ultra-thin models are so prominent that exposure to them becomes unavoidable and 'chronic ', constantly reinforcing a discrepancy for most women and girls between their actual size and the ideal body (p. 478).
Only a very small percentage of women in Western countries meet the criteria the media uses to define "beautiful" (Dittmar & Howard, 2004; Thompson & Stice, 2001); yet so many women are repeatedly exposed to media images that send the message that a woman is not acceptable and attractive if she do not match society 's "ultra-thin" standard of beauty (Dittmar & Howard, 2004, p. 478).
In recent years, women 's body sizes have grown larger (Spitzer, Henderson, & Zivian, 1999), while societal standards of body shape have become much thinner. This discrepancy has made it increasingly difficult for most women to achieve the current sociocultural "ideal." Such a standard of perfection is unrealistic and even dangerous. Many of the models shown on television, advertisements, and in other forms of popular media are approximately 20% below ideal body weight, thus meeting the diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa (Dittmar & Howard, 2004).
Research has repeatedly shown that constant exposure to thin models fosters body image concerns and disordered eating in many females. Almost all forms of the media contain unrealistic images, and the negative effects of such idealistic portrayals have been demonstrated in numerous studies. Schooler et al. (2004) found that women who reported greater exposure to television programming during adolescence were more likely to experience high levels of body image disturbance than females that did not report such levels of exposure. In addition, certain types of programming seem to elicit higher levels of body dissatisfaction in females. A study done by Tiggemann and Slater (2003) found that women who viewed music videos that contained thin models experienced increased levels of negative mood and body image disturbance. Music videos seem to send a particularly direct message that women should live up to the sociocultural ideal; women portrayed are almost always direct representations of what our culture considers beautiful. In addition, music television is an increasingly influential form of media, especially for adolescent and college females.
Mainstream magazines and advertisements are another potent source of idealized images of women. This is disturbing because many women, especially adolescents, have been found to read such material on a regular basis. Findings of one study indicate that 83% of teenage girls reported reading fashion magazines for about 4.3 hours each week (Thompson & Heinberg, 1999). Female 's motivations for reading such material varies, but self-report inventories have shown that most women who read fashion magazines do so to get information about beauty, fitness, grooming, and style (Tiggemann, 2003).
Magazines and advertisements are marketed to help women "better themselves" by providing information and products that are supposed to make them look and feel better. Women read these magazines with the hope that if they follow the advice given, they will be more acceptable and attractive. Marketing strategies lure women into purchasing these forms of media, and most have the potential to be a powerful influence on women 's sense of self and satisfaction with their appearance. Tiggemann (2003) found that frequent magazine reading was consistently correlated with higher levels of body dissatisfaction and disturbed eating. The study also found that women who read fashion magazines displayed higher levels of thin-ideal internalization, which is a powerful risk factor for development of weight anxiety and disordered eating patterns. In addition to weight dissatisfaction and eating pathology, studies have shown that women who view slides of women pictured in many mainstream magazines and advertisements show increased levels of depression, stress, guilt, shame, and insecurity (Stice, Schupak-Neuberg, Shaw, & Stein, 1994).
Perspectives on How and Why Women Internalize the Thin-Beauty Standard While research has repeatedly shown that media portrayals of women have a negative impact on the way women view themselves, the mechanism by which women internalize such standards is still unclear. While most women describe experiencing some dissatisfaction with their physical appearance (Lin & Kulik, 2002), a majority do not report having an extreme preoccupation with such concerns, and only a very small percentage go on to develop clinical eating disorders (Tiggemann & Lynch, 2001). There are a variety of theories that provide a possible framework for how images in the media are internalized and translated into body dissatisfaction in many women. These theories include: social comparison, cultivation, and self-schema. In addition to examining how exposure to images in popular media actually comes to impact women, these perspectives give some justification for why some women seem to be affected more than others by the ultra-thin ideal (Schooler et al., 2004).
Social Comparison Theory The social comparison theory offers some level of explanation for how media images actually come to impact the way women feel about their bodies. It examines how individuals evaluate themselves in relation to peers, groups, and/or social categories (Milkie, 1999). The main argument is that people compare themselves on many different dimensions with other individuals who are similar to them. Depending on the target of comparison, a person will usually judge themselves as being either or better or worse on some dimension. An upward comparison occurs when an individual compares himself or herself to someone who fares better than they do on a particular construct. In contrast, downward comparisons involve a person comparing himself or herself to someone who is not as well off as they are in a certain dimension. In general, upward comparisons have been found to correlate with depression of mood, whereas downward comparisons are more likely to elicit elevation of mood (Lin & Kulik, 2002; Schooler et al., 2004; Tiggemann & Mcgill, 2004; Tiggemann, & Slater, 2004).
There are many different sources to which individuals can look for social comparison, but mass media is seen to be one of the most commanding influences, especially for women. Television, advertisements, magazines, and other forms of popular media provide a plethora of references for upward social comparison. Images in the media generally project a standard to which women are expected to aspire, yet that standard is almost completely impossible for most women to achieve (Schooler et al., 2004; Thompson & Coovert, 1999). Women almost always fall short of standards that are expected of them regarding physical appearance. Particularly for women, it is difficult to go through a day without viewing images that send the message, "you 're not good enough." The pervasiveness of the media makes it very challenging for most women to avoid evaluating themselves against the sociocultural standard of beauty (Milkie, 1999). Most companies that target women in the media actually attempt to foster social comparison with idealized images, in order to motivate women to buy products that will bring them closer to the ideal (e.g. diet products, makeup, hair products). If women see a discrepancy between themselves and the images they view in advertisements (which the almost definitely will), they will be more inclined to buy the products that are advertised (Thompson & Coovert, 1999).
Evidence for the negative effects of women 's social comparison with media images is plentiful. Research has found that women who report frequently comparing themselves to other women, especially women in the media, are more likely to show signs of negative mood and body image disturbance (Schooler et al., 2004). Tiggemann and Mcgill (2004) found that women participants ' brief exposure to media images of females (11 images) led to increased levels of body dissatisfaction and weight anxiety. This finding is disturbing because the number of images used in the study is far less than what is present in any women 's magazine or shown in most television programming.

Tiggemann and Slater (2003) found music television to be a powerful instigator of the social comparison process in young females. Their study found that exposing girls to thin and attractive images of women portrayed in many music videos led to increased levels of body image disturbance. In addition, the study showed that videos portraying the thin ideal triggered more self-reported social comparison than control videos that did not contain such images.
The extent to which females engage in social comparison processing may be an important indicator of whether they will be profoundly impacted by exposure to ultra-thin media images of women. The level at which a woman reports comparing herself to other females seems to be associated with the level at which she internalizes the thin ideal. Tiggemann and Mcgill (2004) found that women who displayed high levels of social comparison were more likely to be negatively affected by exposure to different forms of media. It has been proposed by many researchers that social comparison may be the mechanism by which unrealistic media standards are translated into actual body image disturbance in an individual. Women who report higher levels of social comparison are at greater risk to develop extreme preoccupation with weight and appearance, and are also more likely to display disordered eating patterns and/or clinical eating disorders. This finding suggests that programs aimed at decreasing females ' levels of social comparison may have some efficacy; women who are taught to not compare themselves to unrealistic standards and be critical of images they see in the media are less likely to internalize and aspire to an unrealistic standard. Several programs with such goals have been researched, and evidence has shown that such interventions seem to hold some promise (Tiggemann & Slater, 2003). Cultivation Theory
Unrealistic media images of women are so prevalent that it seems that females who fulfill such a standard are more the norm than the exception. Cultivation theory argues that images that portray women who match the sociocultural ideal of beauty are extremely prevalent in popular media, and that repetitive exposure to such images influences women 's abilities to understand that such standards are unrealistic. As females constantly view images of tall, thin women that are shown in different forms of mass media, there is a cumulative effect over time in that many women adopt this unrealistic standard of beauty as "reality." Many women come to view ultra-thin females to be "normal," and thus determine that any woman who does not live up to this ideal is "abnormal" (Schooler et al., 2004; Tiggemann, 2003). Consistent representations on television construct a specific portrait of reality, and repeated exposure to this content leads viewers to adopt this alternative reality as valid. Accordingly, because the representations of women 's bodies shown on television are so skewed, adopting this reality for young women is believed to lead to decreased satisfaction with their own bodies, a strong desire to be thinner, and disordered eating behavior (Schooler et al., 2004, p. 38).
Empirical research supports this theory; studies have shown that individuals who report watching more of television and being exposed to specific types of media (e.g. music television, soap operas) display greater dissatisfaction with physical appearance (Schooler et al., 2004).
An individual 's level of awareness about the characteristics and effects of images portrayed in the media may be an important indicator of how that individual will internalize the thin ideal. Tiggemann (2003) found that females who were less aware of the media 's effects were more likely to show symptoms of body image disturbance. It has been shown that if a woman is able to recognize that standards that are valued by the media are unrealistic, she is likely to show a higher level of resilience to body image concerns. In contrast, if a woman does not recognize that media expectations are almost unattainable, she will be more likely to internalize, and thus be negatively affected by the thin ideal (Tiggemann, 2003). Self-Schema Theory The basis of self-schema theory is that women use three points of reference to construct their perceptions about their own physical appearance: the socially represented ideal body, the objective body, and the internalized ideal body. The portrayals of women by the media and other important individuals in a person 's life influence the socially represented ideal body. This reference point comes from what an individual believes is expected by society with respect to physical appearance and beauty. In contrast, the objective body involves a person 's own evaluation of their body. A person 's satisfaction and dissatisfaction with aspects of their physical appearance are contained within this dimension; individuals almost always have some opinion about their physical demeanor. The internalized ideal body involves the level at which an individual endorses the ideal image and aspires to achieve it. Some women can be exposed to images of thin women and not internalize such standards of appearance because they know they are unrealistic. In contrast, some women 's internalized ideal is very similar to the socially represented ideal, which makes them particularly vulnerable to the powerful effects of the media (Sands & Wardle, 2003).
If there is a large discrepancy between a person 's internalized ideal body and their objective body, a person 's confidence in and satisfaction with their appearance is often negatively affected. Media images of women make it difficult for individuals to hold an internalized ideal body that is realistic and attainable. With exposure to repeated images of ultra thin women, an individual 's internalized ideal body often becomes much thinner. This increases the gap between what a person feels their physical appearance is, and what it should be. Not surprisingly, researchers have found that women who have an internalized ideal body that closely resembles the socially represented ideal body are at a particularly high risk to develop body image disturbance and disordered eating patterns (Sands & Wardle, 2003).
It is almost impossible to alter society 's representation of what is considered to be the "ideal body." Despite powerful evidence that the media 's unrealistic depiction of females has negative effects on the way women view themselves, companies in television and advertising seem to be unyielding in their marketing approaches. This may come from the mindset that "thinness sells," while using heavier women would not be as profitable (Dittmar, & Howard, 2004). While it is difficult to change the way the media portrays women, there may be hope for altering women 's internalized ideal body to reflect something that is realistic and attainable. If women can be taught not to internalize the sociocultural ideal, they may be able to counter the negative effects of the ultra-thin images that are almost inescapable (Sands & Wardle, 2003).
Many programs focus on reducing the level at which females internalize unrealistic standards of beauty. Research on these programs indicates that such interventions may help increase women 's levels of resiliency to the detrimental effects of multiple forms of popular media (Sands & Wardle, 2003). Phelps, Sapia, Nathanson, and Nelson (2000) found that a six-session program that focused on the prevention of eating pathology seemed to be relatively effective in minimizing participants ' use of unhealthy weight control techniques. The main focus of the preventive programs evaluated in the study was to reduce the participants ' degree of thin ideal internalization and body dissatisfaction, while also attempting to increase their physical self-esteem, feelings of self-competence, and use of appropriate methods of weight control. After participating in the program, participants ' self-report measures showed a greater reluctance to the use of dieting, fasting, excessive exercise, and other weight reduction techniques in samples of both high school and college women. In addition, the females in the study reported higher scores on measures of physical self-concept and self-competence after the preventive interventions. While such results cannot be generalized to all women, the research does indicate that mental health professionals need to direct their attention toward prevention of body image disturbance in addition to treatment.
Conclusion
The mass media 's depiction of women portrays a standard of beauty that is unrealistic and unattainable for a majority of women in society. Models shown in all forms of popular media are often under what is considered healthy body weight, which sends a powerful message that women must sacrifice their health to be considered attractive by societal standards. The negative effects of ultra-thin media images of women have been well documented; research has shown that females who are repeatedly exposed to and internalize the thin ideal are at greater risk to develop body image disturbance and eating pathology. Although it is clear that the media influences the way women view themselves, it is unclear how this process takes place. The social comparison theory, cultivation theory, and self-schema theory can be used to examine how media images of women come to affect the way women feel about their bodies and physical appearance. These perspectives also give some explanation for why some women show resilience to the negative effects of the media, while others are dramatically impacted.

The Bad, The Ugly and the Good of Children’s Use of Social Media http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-jim-taylor/the-bad-the-ugly-and-the_b_3346768.html Whether we like it or not, the Internet, social media, and all of the related technology are here to stay. As evidenced every day in so many ways, this new technological landscape brings many wonderful benefits to our family 's lives and relationships. At the same time, as with any new innovations, this impact has a dark side.

Though the study of the effects of social media on children is still relatively new, there is a growing body of evidence demonstrating what I will call the bad, the ugly, and the good (because I prefer to conclude this post on a positive note). I will describe some recent findings that are worth considering as you increasingly expose your children to different types of technology.

The Bad: Facebook Depression

There 's no doubt that Facebook is one of the most powerful forms of media for communication today. More than a billion users chat, share photos, and keep their friends and family up to date on their lives regularly. Yet, there is a dark side to its use, along with other forms of social media, that has been labeled Facebook Depression, though this phenomenon also includes anxiety, other psychiatric disorders, and a range of unhealthy behaviors.

Perhaps the most comprehensive study to date found that Facebook overuse among teens was significantly correlated with narcissism. Among young adults, Facebook overuse was also associated with Histrionic Personality Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, and Sadistic, Passive-Aggressive, Borderline, Paranoid, and Somatoform Personality Disorders. This study also explored the strength of Facebook use as a predictor of these psychiatric disorders and found that, even when demographics, such as age, gender, median income, ethnicity, and education were controlled, Facebook use was one of the three strongest predictors.

An analysis of 15 studies found that increased media exposure, including television, movies, video games, and the Internet, was associated with violent behavior and isolation. It reported that children who watched violent shows were not only more likely to be more aggressive, but also to have fewer friends and to be more secluded socially. The researchers concluded that children who are aggressive will have fewer friends and be more likely to be bullies (because they are more aggressive) or victims of bullying (because they are isolated).

Another study of adolescent girls found that the more they used texting, instant messaging and other social media to discuss their problems, particularly romantic difficulties, the more depressive symptoms they presented. The researchers argued that the ease and frequency that technology affords children to communicate allows them to "co-ruminate," that is, dwell on their problems without providing any solutions.

The Ugly: Internet Addiction

Addiction was the most widely used descriptor of the one-day moratorium on technology in the research I just described in a recent post. Internet addiction is commonly characterized as excessive use of the Internet that interferes with daily functioning and that can lead to distress or harm.

A review of research from the past decade has found that adolescents who demonstrated Internet addiction scored higher for obsessive-compulsive behavior, depression, generalized and social anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, introversion, and other maladaptive behaviors. This research also revealed a interesting pattern of parental involvement. Those youth who were judged to have an Internet addiction rated their parents as lacking in love and nurturance, being over-invested, unresponsive, angry, and severe disciplinarians.

There is considerable debate within the mental-health field about whether dependence on technology is a true addiction, like alcohol, drugs, or gambling. In fact, the American Psychiatric Association, which produces the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (think shrinks ' bible), decided not to include Internet Addiction in their latest revision. Some experts in the field argue that the unhealthy dependence on technology may be a symptom of some more fundamental pathology, such as depression or anxiety, and that so-called Internet addicts use technology to self-medicate and relieve their symptoms. Plus, unlike alcohol and drugs, Internet use doesn 't cause any direct physiological or psychological harm.

Despite this uncertainty in the psychological community, the students in the survey I wrote about in my last post made it clear that they believe Internet addiction is very real. It certainly passes the "duck test" (if it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck, it 's probably a duck). Not only did the students miss the functions that the technology offered, for example, texting, surfing the Web, and listening to music, but they actually craved the devices themselves. Said a English student, "Media is my drug; without it I was lost. I am an addict. How could I survive 24 hours without it?" Added an American student, "After experiencing this dreadful 24-hours, I realized that our obsession with media is almost scary. I could not even begin to imagine the world if it was media-free."

So what specifically does Internet use provide to people such that it gets to the point of unhealthy behavior often associated with addiction? One study examined the types of gratification that people gain from the Internet and found that four specific forms of gratification were, cumulatively, most predictive of the tendency toward Internet addiction: virtual community (feeling connected to a group), monetary compensation (money they earned through various Web-based activities), diversion (distraction from their lives), and personal status (the feeling of individual standing they gained from Internet use). These types of gratification are normal for children, yet there is something about the Internet that morphs them into unhealthy needs that appear to become addicting.

This so-called addiction appears to go deeper than just psychological dependence. There is emerging evidence indicating that, for example, our interaction with technology produces the same neurochemical reaction -- a burst of dopamine -- as that found with alcohol, drug, sex, and gambling addictions. Persistent exposure to technology-related cues, such as the vibration from a smartphone announcing the arrival of a new text message or the ping of an incoming tweet, can cause people to get caught in a vicious cycle of dopamine stimulation and deprivation. Moreover, the brevity of technology, for example, 140-character text messages, lends itself to this vicious cycle because the information received isn 't completely satisfying, so people are driven to seek out more information for their next shot of dopamine. Imagine your children growing up with this relationship with technology and the strength of its grip on them if they are allowed ungoverned and unguided use of technology.

The Good: Social Media Can Help

Certainly, the research I 've just described doesn 't paint a very rosy picture of the influence of technology on children. It 's not all bad though. Studies have shown that more time spent with social media is related to increased "virtual empathy," meaning that expressed through technology, and "real-world empathy" (considered a related, but separate factor). The best predictor of virtual empathy was the time spent on Facebook and the use of instant messaging. More of both forms of empathy means more social support, always a good thing for children.

Social media can also help those young people who experience shyness or social anxiety. Introverted young people can gain comfort and confidence in social interactions in several ways. Shy children can use social media to overcome what is perhaps their most difficult challenge, namely, initiating new relationships, in a low-risk environment. They can avoid awkwardness that is endemic to making friends by allowing them to gain familiarity with others and build friendships online. Introverted children can also practice social skills with the relative distance and safety afforded by social media.

Technology may improve family relationships and encourage feelings of connectedness. First, technology can be used as a point of entry into children 's lives and create opportunities for sharing. Second, they enable families to have quality time and pursue activities of shared interest.

Social media can have educational benefits for children as well. They are learning practical skills that are necessary for success in today 's wired world. Specifically, children are learning how to use and become proficient with technology, developing their creative abilities, appreciating new and different perspectives, and enhancing their communication skills.

One study indicated that prosocial video games encourage helping behavior. The researchers found that young people were more likely to help others after playing a prosocial as compared to a neutral video game. In a related study, they observed that a similar effect when given the opportunity to protect a stranger who was being harassed.

Technology may even help children to better cope with stress in their lives. Technology can potentially mitigate stress is a number of ways. First, technology provides children with more outlets through which to express their feelings of stress, thus allowing a cathartic effect. Second, social media can provide children with social support which can act as a buffer against stressors. Technology, including Facebook postings and instant messaging, enables children to receive more, immediate, and diverse support from a wider range of people. Third, technology can allow children to find useful information that may help them to reduce their stress. Finally, technology may act as a distraction and a means of distancing children from the stressors, providing a respite from the stress and giving them the time and perspective to deal with the stress more effectively.

What Does This All Mean?

As I have often argued, technology is neither good nor bad, but, at the same time, it isn 't neutral either. The impact that technology has on your children depends not on the technology itself, but rather on how you educate them about it and the experiences they have with it. It is your responsibility to become informed about the potential benefits and costs of this new digital age and then make deliberate decisions about the type and quantity of technology you expose your children to.
How Strongly Can Social Media Influence and Control People’s Lives?
What comes to your mind when you hear the term “Social Media?" Perhaps some people thinking about the media that makes them able to meet and communicate with people around the world. While some others think about that, social media is the channel that gives them the chance to send and receive many information. Others think that social media is about the way we get many updates from people who we follow and maybe someone out there thinks social media is a part of a new marketing strategy.
Nowadays, social media seems like a big part of our life. When your friends didn’t reply to your text, you can greet them on Facebook. When you want to listen to music or see a music video from your favorite singer – go to YouTube. When you just wake up and open your eyes, you don’t have to walk outside to get the newspaper, just take your phone and scroll your Twitter timeline then you’ll get the information. Blog and Forum are also types of social media because they allow you to share “what you think” about articles, pictures, videos and so on. There is social media which allows the users not only to share about their profession, major of study, works and company, addresses, political views and religion, but also allow them to find a job and allow the company to find the employees. Everything looks and feels easier to do with social media.
But from the examples above, I have a question on my mind “If everything looks and feels easier to do with social media, isn 't something strange if society is extremely dependent on social media. How strong can social media influence and control people’s lives?” This question leads me to recall a case that happened about 5 years ago.
Let me tell you a very interesting case from Indonesia about social media. In August 2008, there was a women who has known by Indonesian people as Prita Mulyasari. Her case begun when she wrote about her disappointment of the services of a Hospital in Jakarta. She told and wrote everything about the hospital and the bad services that she got from the doctors, nurses and administration staff. Then, she sent a message to her friends on the mailing list. Actually, she just tried to remind her friends to be more selective in choosing the hospital and to be more careful in accepting many kinds of services. But, her message became a big problem after her friend shared it to a website (the people’s forum) with so many read and commented about the issue.
In September 2008, the management of the hospital reported Prita Mulyasari for the bad news about the hospital that she has spread. The management of the hospital demanded her to pay a material loss of about Rp.161 million as a replacement for clarification in national newspapers and Rp.100 million for immaterial losses. She wasn’t only to pay for the hospital losses but she was also detained in May 2009. After 8 months she went through the inspection and verification process and was convicted by the court for violating the law about using the ICT (Information and Communication Technology). This case rapidly spread among Indonesian people. As common issues, there are always pros and cons. Although the Indonesian people weren’t justified what Prita has done against the hospital, but most of people in Indonesia really cared about her life and Prita’s condition and tried to help her, at least to pay the amercement.
The first Facebook account which made by some people is (https://www.facebook.com/KoinPeduliPrita). They were spreading “Bantu Bebaskan Prita” or “Help Free Prita” to Indonesian People and approached them to help Prita by collecting the coins. It didn’t take a long time. Many volunteers, social workers, activists, students and even artists came together to help her. They were collecting many coins from people on the street, office, and even an entertainment center. Some singers also held a charity concert to help her (http://koinkeadilan.com/). In December 2009, the campaign to help Prita was finished and they succeed by collecting the coins to help Prita raise about Rp. 825 Million. The money was extremely worth it for Prita, although she still had to go through the period of detainees. However, the money was very helpful for her not only to pay the amercement but also for her life, considering she has two kids.
I’m not trying to spread bad news about my country or discredit someone or some institutions. I am just trying to make you believe that social media has the strength to influence and control people’s lives. Prita’s case clearly explains to us that social media were able to make people’s life get worse or get better. But, we don’t need to stay away or being anti-social media. People are stronger than social media because we can easily think before we act and think before we speak. There is nothing to be worried about if we are wise when we share something on social media.
Sources:
http://hukum.kompasiana.com/2009/06/03/kronologi-kasus-prita-mulyasari-13940.html http://www.hukumonline.com/berita/baca/lt4b3ac59e39184/pn-tangerang-vonis-bebas-prita-buka-perdamaian-dengan-rs-omni http://outthinkgroup.com/tips/the-6-types-of-social-media http://news.okezone.com/read/2009/12/21/338/286733/redirect

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