Television today fills the free time for both children and adults. In an average American home, television is on an average of six hours a day. A study was put forth to examine:
To asses the prevalence in the American population of heavy exposure of children 0-6 yrs. Of age
To examine differences in time spent in developmental activities and outcomes (such as reading) between children who live in such households and those who do not.
Thirty-five percent of all the children live in a home where the television is "always on", or on "most of the time", even is no one is home. Previous studies have been conducted that prove the background television interferes with concurrent processing, including reading comprehension and memory. Background television interferes with the basic neurological skills which are developed at childhood.
Evidence was found to support the hypothesis that children who are constantly exposed to television spend less time reading or being read to.
Family watching television, c. 1958
Family arrangements in the US have become more "di...
English: Park Street Elementary School, Atlanta, G...3-4 year olds no in heavy-television households spend 25% more time reading than those constantly exposed to reading
5-6 year olds jumps to 36%