Most of us spend hours each day glued to some type of screen for work or play. But is that a bad thing? Has anyone got the data to figure it out? Now is the time for ‘The Human Screenome Project.’
As the head of a media and communications program, my life’s digital-analogue balance was off. Four weeks at sea with no devices refocussed my views – even on things that had been there all along.
Since the second world war, every generation has worried that children are spoilt, cosseted, or being corrupted by new technologies. But, on many measures, today’s children are doing just fine.
Children see adults on smartphones, looking up information they need to know, and being continuously connected. They want to copy this behaviour in their play and practise being an adult.
While there are negative impacts, many of the risks of too much screen time are overblown. A scholar who has studied the topic for years offers some tips for finding the right balance.
Blue light has been getting blamed for sleep interruption and eye strain. But the facts are that any bright light interferes with sleep, and computers themselves cause eye strain, an eye doctor says.
Most Australians exceed the guidelines for screen time, and most parents feel guilty about the time their child spends on the screen. But not all screen time is bad. Content matters.
Although it’s not possible for parents to completely shield their kids from screens and junk food, in the home they have a unique opportunity to establish healthy behaviours.
Many adolescents have trouble sleeping - but limiting screen use is not the solution. When used correctly, bedtime use of devices can be beneficial to mental health, without harming sleep quality.
In his new book, Teen Brain, David Gillespie suggests anxiety and other problems are on the rise among teenagers due to smartphones and tablets. This could be true, but his claims are overblown.
Software makers including Apple have been creating apps aimed at limiting how much time we spend using our smartphones. A behavioral scientist explains how – and whether – they work.
We blame electronic devices for our increasingly sedentary behaviours. So why not harness them to study our movement patterns and tackle urgent health crises?
Professor, Canada Research Chair in Determinants of Child Development, Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary
Assistant professor, School of Psychology, Scientist, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa