The Effects of Watching Television on Adolescents

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The effects of Watching Television on Adolescents
The past years have raised considerable concern over the amount of time adolescents spend watching the television and the kind of content they view. According to the American Academy of Paediatrics, the average adolescent spends at least 3 hours watching television each day, and that is not inclusive of the time spent on films and video games. The total makes a lot of time, which in many aspects significantly influence and interfere with the lives of the adolescents. This paper points out some of the significant ways in which too much television time affects the lives of the adolescents.
As much as the television has some educative programs, it lacks an integral element necessary in the social development of adolescents and children. The television is engaging regarding the need for attention such that this age group can almost never multi-task while viewing the TV. The time spent engaged in the television, therefore, deny the adolescents the critical time that they would otherwise spend developing their social skills and social life during interaction with family and friends (American Academy of Pediatrics 423). The television also replaces the physical activities, such as exercising and sports that the children would engage in, and this in turn results to health issues, for instance, obesity, which then bring about problems with self-image and confidence (American Academy of Pediatrics 423).
The effects of too much television time also extend to the academic life of adolescents mainly by affecting their performance and grades at school.

This happens when the television replaces their study time (Van Evra 73). Another critical effect presents when young people get accustomed to the highly stimulating content shown on television which the learning environment at school does not meet. They, in turn, feel less captivated and find it harder to engage with their teachers and that hinders their capacity to learn at school (Van Evra 90)
The television also makes the adolescents vulnerable to the messages which influence their behaviors and perceptions. Primary behavioral detrimental effects include violence, aggression, and sexuality (Van Evra104). The adolescents are also highly likely to imitate the lifestyle they view on television shows, and these include alcoholism and substance use and substance abuse,
The aim of the television is always to capture the attention of its viewers, and that means going extra lengths to meet the interests of a variety of audiences. This exposes adolescents to content that is not fit for them. Viewed shallowly, watching the television makes good pastime activity in the comfort of the home. However, control measures should be enforced to protect the vulnerable adolescents from the adverse effects the television presents to their social lives, education, and self-image as discussed above.

Works Cited
American Academy of Pediatrics. “Children, Adolescents, and Television.” PEDIATRICS107.2 (2001): 423-426. Web. 12 Dec. 2018.
Van Evra, Judith. Television and child development. Routledge, 2004.