Television in Young Children’s Social Relationships

Authors

• Mira Roine
• Satu Valkonen
• Anja Riitta Lahikainen

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23979/fypr.45015

Keywords:

television, children, social relationships, fear

Abstract

Our aim is to highlight the role played by television in pre-school-aged childrens social
relationships. We moreover examine how social relationships are related to childrens
capabilities to cope with their television fears.
Children aged 5 to 6 (N=309) were interviewed in three Finnish university cities
using previously developed interview methods. Parents (N=297) completed four
questionnaires covering family background, TV viewing habits, psychiatric well-being
and quality and quantity of the childs sleep.
Television viewing by pre-school-aged children was quite social in nature, although
our qualitative data suggested that television was sometimes also used in asocial
ways. Co-viewing within the family was common, whereas peer groups signi? cance
in the media reception process was evident after the viewing situation, in childrens
games based on television programs. 62% of children reported at least one television
fear. However, it seems that the presence of family members may help children to cope
with television fears.