Parental education concerning their children's use of modern media:: family rules and motives, extent and effects of using the computer, watching television and playing video games

After a review of publications on positive and detrimental effects of using the computer and watching television, empirical data on parental education concerning the use of modern media are presented. In two studies, a total of 282 elementary school children and their parents were interviewed with respect to the extent they used electronic media, their rules and motives for letting the children watch television, use the computer and play video games. The children's reading proficiency was tested. Although the overall extent of using the media was moderate, time spent in front of them and reading proficiency correlated negatively, Explicit parental restrictions lead to less media use, whereas children's decisions when and how to use the electronic devices correlated with exposure to media. Parental motives which may be considered normatively less agreeable - e.g., letting the children use the media to prevent boredom correlated with intensified reception. Building up knowledge as a motive, however, was not correlated with increased media use. The results support the thesis that ready access to television may reduce reading activity. They provide evidence against the position that only in case of excessive media use detrimental effects can be found.