Science for Society: Navigating the Digital World: Parenting in the Age of Screens

Digital technology and social media have been accused of contributing to widespread negative impacts on child and adolescent development, creating an anxious generation. However, evidence from the research community presents a more balanced perspective. 

APS Fellow and James McKeen Cattell Award recipient Roberta Golinkoff, professor at the University of Delaware, specializes in the use of digital devices by young kids. She finds the zeitgeist against digital media to be overblown, stating, “Digital media are neither inherently positive nor negative. It’s all about how they are designed and used.”  

Michael Preston, executive director of the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, discussed the benefits of asking kids’ opinions to help determine the content of their media. He also shared that the conversations media spark after the TV is turned off are just as important as the content itself.  

Kathryn Modecki, a professor at the University of Western Australia, stressed that teens should have opportunities for autonomy and independence with respect to their media intake. She suggested “being a coach as a parent, as opposed to a referee for your team online.”  

Yalda Uhls, executive director of the Center for Scholars and Storytellers, concluded the session by demonstrating the power of the stories adolescents consume in the media. “[The] storytelling mechanism really shifts the way you think and you behave,” she said.  “Because your defenses are down, you’re engaged in the story.” 

This webinar provides parents, developmental researchers, and those interested in child psychology with a better understanding of how media use impacts the development of children’s emotional regulation skills and well-being.