Increasingly, early childhood includes electronic media. It is not just the age at which children begin to view regularly that is concerning, but the content of the media and the context of the use. Recently, newer mobile and interactive media platforms (e.g. tablets) have changed the way media is consumed. Current viewing metrics suggest that tablet media is beginning to replace traditional TV viewing, but that passive content (?watching video?) remains the primary component of early media use. Tablets allow several important differences in use. First, apps for tablets allow both passive viewing as well as interactive game playing, providing a more diverse set of content choices. Second, the personalized use of these smaller devices allows the content to be delivered directly to the child, and adults are less likely to co-view during tablet use. On-demand access also allows programs to be controlled, changing patterns of consumption and use has extended out of the home into more environments. Observational studies of TV use have linked excessive early media use with attention problems, language delay, and cognitive detriments. It is unclear if the interactive nature of tables and apps might approximate more traditional exchanges or even promote interactions. Given the changing media landscape, a better understanding of how tablet based media influences early learning is important for supporting better child outcomes, and potentially identifying those with early risk. To address these issues, we will investigate: (1) the immediate impact of different tablet media content on infant joint attention behaviors, engagement, and cardiophysiological responses related to regulation and attention. As well, we will explore parents ability to predict their child?s difficulty disengaging from touchscreen technologies.
Despite the American Academy of Pediatric guidelines discouraging all screen time before the age of two, except for interactive personal interactions, 43% of 1-year olds use a mobile device daily. While TV use in infancy has been linked to slowed language growth and more executive functioning problems, mobile and interactive media platforms allow for even greater amounts of infant media usage delivered directly to the infant in more environments. This study investigates how tablet content may influence early learning mechanisms.
