The prevalence of traditional and social media among the youth has increased rapidly in the last decade. Research conducted on the topic reveals that the most common type of media used by many adolescents globally remains the television. However, a large number of adolescents and teenagers have been reported to be drastically inclined towards social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Snaptchat (Crone & Konijn, 2018). Currently, it is approximated that almost every teenager can easily access the internet, stream videos, and maintains an active presence on various platforms. A significant portion of adolescents considers themselves to be “constantly connected” to the internet (Flynn et al., 2010). Critics argue that the media is not detrimental to the society and that it is people with ill intentions who corrupt the media. Media use is a critical issue because compared to a century ago where the primary sources of role models and socialization were found within the family and the immediate community, today the media has taken over this role (Giles &Maltby, 2004). Assessing the impact of media on adolescent development is significant to this organization as it helps to determine the positive and negative effects and what caregivers can do to maximize the benefits of media exposure as they cannot avoid it.
Effects of Media Use and how they affect Adolescent Development
Psychological theories form the foundation for research on issues and they are significant to this discussion as they will be used to determine the developmental impacts of media usage. Many theories of adolescence emphasize the concept of identity formation during adolescence. Erik Erikson psychosocial theory says that during this period, children seek secondary attachments to people outside their family (Giles &Maltby, 2004). Secondary attachments play a social and emotional role in the development of romantic relationships. Due to the extensive exposure to media characters in today’s world, adolescents are forming their secondary attachments to celebrities, and people they meet online. While this may feel safe as they get to practice social interaction from a safe distance, it is also harmful to their social and emotional health (Giles &Maltby, 2004). Consequently, keeps adolescents back from exploring real social relationships and the development of antisocial tendencies (Jan, Soomro, & Ahmad, 2017).
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Erikson further asserts the need for adolescents to solve the identity versus role confusion crisis experienced in this stage. The increasing use in social media has also led to the rise in cases of cyber bullying where it is a global crisis following the resultant increase in suicide rates amongst adolescents in the past decade. About 80% of adolescents in the United States of America have been determined to be active social media users (Crone & Konijn, 2018). Garett, Lord, & Young (2016) asserts that “Cyber bullying has been associated with face-to-face confrontations, concern about going to school, and physical altercations.” Cyber bullying can cause negative self-perception in adolescents which affects identity formation. When adolescents experience role confusion, they may result to extreme measures such as suicide and drug use.
In his ‘Field Theory,’ Kurt Lewin says that adolescents think about how they are viewed by others and this determines the formation of a positive self-concept. The media often portrays unrealistic standards of beauty and normalcy, and this can affect adolescents’ self-perception ("Impact of media use on children and youth," 2003). The growing need to fit in can cause fanaticism, eating disorders, aggression or drug use when such images are presented in the media. For instance, beauty products that depict light skinned slim people as the standard of beauty can lead to practices such as skin bleaching and eating disorders in a bid to conform to these standards (Collins, n.d.). Television shows, music, and content in the media often depict sexual activities can affect socio-emotional development by causing reckless sexual behavior and unwanted pregnancies as adolescents have a heightened libido (Crone &Konijn, 2018).
Lewin’s theory recognizes the importance of social cultural influences in adolescent development. While the media has some detrimental effects on adolescent development, in this aspect, it has a positive impact. The media imparts cultural tolerance and diversity amongst the youth (Strasburger, Jordan, & Donnerstein, 2010). Since social media connects people from divergent cultural and social backgrounds from different parts of the world, adolescents learn to accept cultural values in others that are absent in their own societies. This is an important skill as the globalization trend requires a diverse generation of people.
The media also offers cognitive stimulation for the growing person due to the access it provides to information (Collins, n.d.). According to Jean Piaget’s theory, adolescents acquire formal thinking skills which allow them to tackle more complex problems and they need stimulation to advance cognitively. Parents are not always available to provide guidance, and the media can be used as a tool for this. Traditional and social media also helps in exposing adolescent learners to innovative ideas by enabling the sharing of knowledge and information regardless of geographical distance (Garett, Lord, & Young, 2016). The media has revolutionized the learning as it more convenient and cheaper to access books and other sources relevant to one’s study on the internet (Kim, 2016).
Interventions
Given the stated implications of the increased media used amongst adolescents on their health, the following interventions may be applied to prevent further damages to the group. The media has affected adolescents negatively due to its far reaching influence but this can also be adjusted for a positive outcome (Bányai et al. 2017). Advocacy to influence government legislation to formulate strategies that use the media to influence adolescents positively can be a useful intervention (Flynn et al., 2010). Violent groups such as Isis and Al Qaeda have successfully used social media to recruit teenagers and young adults which proves that with the right strategies, these sites can be used to spread good (Flynn et al., 2010). Hence, the ministry of education in association with other governmental and non-governmental groups may develop educative programs using the media to enable adolescents to focus more on activities that encourage their development.
The issue of identity is can result low self-esteem compared if it is handle inappropriately. As parents have been investment in the development of their children, this should not stop when they become adolescents. Parents should change how they communicate with their children, and the dynamics of parenting to more relatable and flexible ones. Parenting in the current millennial times has proven strenuous especially because strangers on social media tend to have stronger influences on children than their parents (Mills, 2016). Ahn (2011) elaborates that for parents to help their children to grow into independent individuals who are not easily influenced by opinions, they are necessitated to be well-informed about the mechanism of the media. Parents should monitor the media activities of their children, and regulate the amount of time they spend on it. The developments on technology had enabled parents control the programs children view by blocking channels they consider inappropriate according to their moral standards.
Conclusion
The inception of traditional and social media was meant to improve the lives of individuals particularly adolescents. Being such a critical stage, adolescents have been determined to be one of the most influenced groups of individuals by the introduction of social and traditional media. The increased media use amongst adolescence has both detrimental and monumental contributions to the lives of individuals. The media has been used to revamp the institution of education in the society as well as encourage peace and diversity amongst users. However, social media has been negatively applied to perpetrate cyber bullying that has led to the death of many teenagers amongst other vices such as the adoption of harmful habits. The media has also led to the change in the way adolescents relate to each other and other individuals in their lives. The most effective interventions that may change the current state concerning the use of media amongst adolescents are the government and parents. The government may implement policies that will restrict the content posted on social media as parents control and monitor the activities of their children. The media has the capability of improving the lives of adolescents as well as negatively impacting them.
References
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