Relationships matter at playtime

Internet, computer games, video games, TV on your cellphone, TV at home – today's children are going up in a technology-dominated world. But is all this media consumerism really harming innocent childish minds? Yes it is, according to our expert, Dr. Georg Romer.

YO-YO: Dr. Romer, are innocent childish minds being harmed by all this technology?
DR. GEORG ROMER: We are living in a technology-dominated world that is getting more complex all the time and children need to know their way about in it. For this they need adult support.

An EU-wide study has shown that 92 percent of ten- to twelve-year-olds spend three hours on the Internet several times a week. Can children really process this deluge of information?
It depends very much on how a child uses the Internet. Unlike watching TV, being online doesn't mean sitting passively while the stream of information flows over you; you have to interact with the medium. Because children set their own pace, they only take on board the information they can actually handle. Ten- to twelve-year-olds spend most of their time chatting, to make contact with other children of the same age.

The "Schau Hin" ("Look Here") initiative recommends that eleven- to thirteen-year-olds should spend no more than one hour a day playing computer games…
I think that's about right. Parents should lay down a clear set of guidelines on this and stick to them. And they should keep an eye on what their children are up to.

Can a child be seriously harmed by too much media consumption?
There is a statistical correspondence between the consumption of violent video games and a tendency towards personal violence. But what really matters isn't so much what kids see on the screen: it's the experiences they aren't getting. Children who learn emotional commitment through friendships, and learn to empathize with other people, are likely to be proof against media violence.

Adults often say that violent films scared them when they were kids. Are today's kids more hard boiled?
There's no doubt that today's kids are more used to violence because they see it in the media, so they are less sensitive to it. To ensure that kids don't get upset, it's very important to draw a firm line between fiction and reality so that the child really knows what's real and what isn't. When Asterix and Obelix beat up the Romans, this does not constitute glorification of violence. Even watching a James Bond film, most twelve year olds will understand that this is not like real life.

What can parents do?
They can put reasonable limits on media consumption. Children have to learn how to make sensible choices among the huge outpourings from TV, the Internet, and video and computer games and to parcel out their time. Actually, thanks to the Internet, TV viewing among kids and young adults has decreased markedly.

Can kids get hooked on computer games and the like?
They can be abused, just like drink, cigarettes, and drugs. And yes, you can get hooked. The warning sign comes when you lose control. You can say a kid is hooked when they lose the ability to organize their own time without large doses of electronic media. This tends to happen with kids and teens who are socially isolated. They don't tire of video games as normal people would, because they've lost that persistent hunger for real contact with people their own age. Kids who look forward to meeting with their friends will get tired of the endless flood of virtual images, sooner or later.

You can get hooked on these images?
In computerized ball games, the images are designed to give the player maximum kicks by rewarding "goals" with exaggerated visual and acoustic thrills. The fast pace and the tension enhance the effect. These kicks release hormones that give a feeling of wellbeing, which can become addictive if you're sensitive to the hormones. Sleep disturbance and physical inactivity are the first indications that something's wrong.

Should parents offer kids more traditional toys as a substitute?
In my view, the most important thing is the relationships that are created through play with others.

What can society as a whole do about it?
It would be great if there was more awareness that children and teens need playing spaces that encourage physical activity and social interaction, so that they aren't sucked willy-nilly into a flood of media attractions. This should start in kindergarten and in elementary school. I'd like to see more public support for media teaching in schools that meshed with art, music, and sports lessons. There seems to be a real need for positive action here.