Children grow up in an environment filled with media. According to research, as of 2020, girls from birth to their 8th year spend about 2 hours a day on screen with their media, and the majority of that time is spent on videos, especially on YouTube. is spent on.
And as children grow older, screen time only increases. In 2021, teenage girls spent an average of about 8 hours per day using screens for entertainment, while teenage girls spent an average of about 5 hours per day using screens for entertainment. .
Like younger children, the majority of their time is spent on videos, but by the time they reach their teens, children also spend about an hour and a half each day on social media.
All this time using screen media can influence children and educate them about cultural norms and values ​​in direct and indirect ways. The ways girls and women are often portrayed in media such as television, movies and social media are often limited, limiting their understanding of who they can be and affecting their mental health. may have a negative impact.
This article explores the results of psychological research on how media consumption affects girls, and provides advice for parents, teachers, therapists, and interested parties to help girls develop healthier media habits. It offers suggestions that can be taken advantage of by some citizens.
Girls learn about gender roles through media
Children learn to differentiate between men and women before they can speak. Studies have shown that children as young as 6 months old can distinguish between male and female voices, and as young as 9 months old, they can do the same with pictures of both sexes.
Between the ages of 11 and 14 months, children develop the ability to associate male voices with male pictures and female voices with female pictures. Therefore, children develop an understanding of gender categories from a very early age.
Furthermore, researchdemonstrated that children pay more attention, improve their memory, and engage better in activities and play with toys that they are told, directly or indirectly, are appropriate for their gender.
In turn, gender representation in the media may be a particularly important source of learning about gender roles starting in early childhood. As a result, the biases built into the representation of girls and women in the media can become problematic.
Media still perpetuates traditional gender roles
While the public is increasingly aware that messages that reinforce traditional gender roles can limit people’s choices, children’s media, the primary purveyors of these messages, continue to reinforce stereotypes. It tends to promote gender roles.
Recent analyzes have shown some progress A study of popular children’s shows found that the majority of episodes positively represented female characters. However, in these same shows, male characters in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professions are twice as likely to appear as female characters, and female characters are twice as likely to appear in skimpy clothing or half-naked. are three times more likely to
Media messages generally suggest that being a boy or a man is more valuable than being a girl or a woman. Additionally, increased media exposure is associated with increased beliefs in gender stereotypes, including more traditional attitudes regarding behavior, sexual and romantic relationships, and occupational roles.
Effects of body dissatisfaction
Additionally, body dissatisfaction begins to increase even in girls as young as 5 years old when exposed to television that focuses on appearance, and by the time children reach adolescence, they are exposed to media perceptions of what boys and girls should look like. We often internalize what others say. For girls, this can lead to self-objectification, or believing that appearance is more important than other inner qualities. This is associated with lower body self-esteem, body shame, anxiety, and depression.
Stereotypical portrayals of gender in the media have real effects on both genders.
For example, exposure to traditional gender expressions influences girls’ perceptions of their current interests and future possibilities. This can prevent them from pursuing fulfilling careers, especially in STEM fields.
Additionally, media stereotypes about girls’ appearance and sexuality can lead to negative body image and mental health concerns such as depression. By the time they reach their teens, girls feel less confident, courageous, and listened to than boys, and this problem is at least partially due to strong, relatable female role models on TV and in the movies. This seems to be due to a lack of it.
When girls and women are exposed to strong female role models, the results are extremely positive. For example, one study found that more than half of female participants became more active and ambitious after being inspired by female role models in film and television.
Meanwhile, children’s television series doc mcstuffinswhich focuses on girls who repair toys in a play clinic, is helping more girls say they want to become doctors or pursue careers in STEM fields.
Why does social media affect girls’ mental health?
Today, television, movies, and videos consumed through online platforms such as YouTube are not the only media impacting girls’ mental health.
Since social media was invented and became widely popular, studies have shown that interactions on these sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter can have a negative impact on girls, leading to depression, negative body image, and even suicide. It has been consistently shown that there is a
For example, in one study Increased social media use is associated with sleep deprivation, online harassment, low self-esteem, and negative body image, all of which are associated with depressive symptoms, especially for girls, researchers found Did.
Similarly, in another study, The girls found a consistent link between social media use and mental health problems, including low self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and decreased life satisfaction. This association was found to be stronger than those shown between mental health concerns and binge drinking, sexual assault, early sexual activity, and suspension from school.
Social media use causes stress and social comparison
One reason for this is the nature of social media. Social media involves interactions through text and images that can be specially curated and created for consumption by others. As a result, things like the number of likes you receive can become a source of stress.
Additionally, social media fosters social comparison, with people comparing and contrasting themselves to others on the platform, often with negative outcomes.
For example, in one study We found a relationship between Facebook use and depressive symptoms that was a negative result of participants comparing themselves to others on the site.
Social media use has a negative impact on girls, with academics suggesting that the increase in suicide rates among girls aged 10 to 14 from 1999 to 2014 was a result of increased social media use. suggests that it is possible.
How can parents and others help girls develop healthy media habits?
Girls should not be completely prevented from using media. Instead, parents, teachers, therapists, and others can help girls develop healthy media habits.
How to develop healthy media habits
- Call out problematic stereotypes: Watch TV shows, movies, and online videos with your kids and have conversations about what you see. If your content contains gender stereotypes or other negative media messages, be sure to bring it up and point out its flaws.
- Restrict children under 13: Don’t let your kids sign up for social media accounts before they’re ready. Although the restrictions are easily circumvented, those under the age of 13 are currently not allowed to create accounts on many available social media platforms.
- Create screen time boundaries: Use apps and settings to set screen limits to limit the amount of time your child can access social media and other apps and websites.
- Create a technology free zoneFor example, make a rule that no mobile devices are left at the dinner table, and make sure that adults follow this rule as well.
- take media out of the bedroom. Don’t let your children leave their mobile devices in their bedrooms overnight. The temptation to check your devices can disrupt your sleep and worsen your mental health issues.
- consider treatment options: Look for changes in behavior or decline in performance. This may indicate a problem. If your children seem to be becoming more withdrawn or more unhappy, it may be time to seek help from a mental health professional.