Negative influence of the Internet on children. How the Internet affects children

12May

The influence of the Internet on children

The World Wide Web is used by people of almost all ages all over the world. Research shows that children start using smartphones, tablets, and the Internet earlier.

Psychologist Galina Soldatova talks about how the Internet affects a child and what challenges the younger generation faces.

Internet - influence on a child:

Today, 6 generations live on Earth at the same time. The youngest of them is generation Z, which includes children under 14 years old, born in the era of the digital revolution. About 80% of students use the Internet 3 hours a day, and every sixth child spends 8 hours a day on the Internet.

The problem is that the World Wide Web is perceived by schoolchildren not as a set of technologies and a separate virtual reality, but as a part of life. This child’s living environment does not coincide with the parents’ usual lifestyle. As a result, new forms of relationships arise, new psychological phenomena and contexts appear, social practices accepted in society change

Formation of mental functions:

According to psychologist Betsy Sparrow, the effect of the Internet on memory is that it is not information that is remembered, but how to get to it. The Internet is becoming a transactive form of memory, which occurs when people rely on another person's memory. Recently, schoolchildren's average attention span has noticeably decreased compared to 10-15 years ago.

The problem of sensory deprivation. Interaction at the level of the child and the Internet leads to the fact that children receive much less sensory signals from the environment. The sense of the world becomes less sensitive, the baby may have a dull perception of the sounds and smells of the real world, he may be afraid of any touch. As a result, difficulties arise in the perception of one’s body and its capabilities.

It may be difficult for a child to perceive himself as a separate physical entity. Spending time on the Internet leads to a decline in the ability to empathize with the interlocutor; the child does not know how to read non-verbal information during communication.

The phenomenon of “clip thinking” began to take shape with the advent of television and the ability to switch channels. A person develops visual images and various associations. Today there is no clear answer to what the influence of the Internet is on the brain. Some researchers say that excessive use of the Internet provokes atrophy of the children's brain.

At the same time, the results of a study by psychologist Gary Small indicate that regularly spending time on the Internet has a positive effect on the formation of new neural connections.

Identity problem:

Thanks to the influence of digital technologies, children actively experiment, search for their social “I,” and can master different social roles. At the same time, such searches can lead to the initiation, rather than the manifestation, of identity, as well as to a misunderstanding of oneself and to a delay in the process of self-determination.

The influence of the Internet on a child provokes the emergence of new psychological phenomena and contexts. For example, the phenomenon of privacy, which is associated with the protection of personal data, privacy of behavior and personality. The concept of privacy is evolving, the line between public and private is blurring, and private life is becoming transparent.

The Internet captivated the adult generation, then seduced teenagers and has now reached the youngest. It’s no longer uncommon to see a three-year-old child enthusiastically pressing buttons on his dad’s tablet. But what is hidden behind this harmless pastime?

What are the dangers of the Internet?

Preschoolers have a poorly developed braking system. They quickly get excited and get involved in the process, but it’s difficult for them to slow down their feelings and desires. The World Wide Web is replete with dynamic games, colorful landscapes, and superhero abilities. Even an adult finds it difficult to resist what to say about the baby. It fascinates him and captivates him. He becomes a hostage of virtual reality.

The Internet is a drug for children. It drags on unnoticed, making it difficult to escape.

Consequences

Yes, there are many educational games and educational cartoons on the World Wide Web. There are children's presentations that the child watches with pleasure and expands the knowledge gained. But these small advantages hide huge disadvantages.

Posture distortion

Sitting at a computer for a long time puts a strain on the spine. Now the Internet has become accessible through tablets and phones. Children play lying on their stomachs, on their backs, reclining, hunched over. Since the child’s skeleton is still forming, such pastime is fraught with curvature of the spine.

Vision decreases

Looking at one point for a long time is harmful. In addition, children do not maintain distance from their eyes to the screen and often play in the dark. This is a load on the eye muscles. They get tired and atrophy, which leads to weakened vision.

Speech development lags behind, thinking suffers

At an early age, the active formation of brain cells responsible for speech and thinking occurs. A child develops through communication. By asking questions, he learns to think and analyze. The foundations of logical thinking are laid. The replacement of real communication with the Internet leads to one-way communication. No questions are asked, no answers, no dialogue. The result is a lag in speech development and thinking.

Reality distortion

A small child does not know how to think critically. He perceives any information received as truth. The Internet is full of distorted and false material. Computer games are built on the non-existent abilities of heroes and fictitious properties of surrounding objects. The child transfers the acquired knowledge to life. There are cases where children, imagining themselves as superheroes, jumped from the roofs of houses.

Cartoons and virtual games convey the wrong values. Now the heroes are ruled not by goodness and justice, but by strength and cunning. The thirst for profit and rudeness are not the least important. Children no longer want to be astronauts and scientists. They want to be bloggers, killers, and not work at all.

Forms cruelty

There is a lot of entertainment on the World Wide Web that contains scenes of violence. When a child sees them regularly, he develops an attitude towards aggression as a normal, natural manifestation of personality traits. If cruelty begins in early childhood, how will it be reflected in the future? Altered consciousness, no pity, no empathy. The World Wide Web is raising a cruel generation.

Information not according to age

Many sites, regardless of the topic, place banners with non-children's content. A child, surfing the web, may accidentally come across “explicit” pictures.

Programs addiction

Addiction develops faster in childhood than in adulthood. Beautiful graphics, superpowers, rich special effects and the dynamism of virtual reality hypnotize the child. Time spent online is associated with joy, extreme sports and vivid impressions. This is enough to establish a stable connection “Internet = pleasure.”

Affects the nervous system

Computer entertainment games, no matter what age they are intended for, overstimulate the nervous system. These entertainments are very dynamic in content. They often have an effect of surprise, which can frighten the baby. Children develop unreasonable fears. Since the child’s mental processes have not yet been formed, the consequences can be unpredictable.

Currently, doctors associate the growing hyperactivity of children with frequent and sudden changes in pictures on screens and the dynamism of computer games.

No control

The above consequences are only those that preschoolers face. If the “virus” is not slowed down in time, then problems will increase in the future. Let's look ahead a little and see what threatens teenagers who are uncontrollably addicted to the Internet.

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Lack of fresh air

The time that children spend online was previously spent playing with peers in the fresh air. Now they can't be kicked out into the street. The Internet provides both entertainment and networking. Children suffer from a lack of fresh air, which affects their health.

Lost interest in studying

With the advent of the Internet, scientists note a sharp decline in children's interest in knowledge. There is no point in bothering the child anymore. Websites provide ready-made answers to questions and make it easy to find the information you need. Unlike studying, where you need to put in effort to get results.

Unsociable

Time passes unnoticed on the Internet. 60 minutes flies by like 6. The child is less interested in communicating with friends face to face. Virtual reality is brighter and more attractive. She is given preference. Children addicted to computer games become withdrawn, unsociable, and lose contact with society.

Decreased activity

The World Wide Web is quickly becoming addictive. There is not enough time for other activities. Sports, dancing, competitions and hobbies are becoming less attractive than virtual reality. This results in a sedentary lifestyle, muscles atrophy, and a tendency toward obesity.

Sexually deviant behavior

Unimpeded access to a taboo topic leads to early interest and a desire to try. Children have early and promiscuous sexual intercourse, which leads to unplanned pregnancy and the spread of specific diseases.

Victims of cybercriminals

Little life experience does not allow a child to recognize danger. Children on the Internet are easy prey for criminals, maniacs, and sectarians. Over the past 10 years, the network has been actively recruiting minors into various illegal groups.

Types of virtual addiction

Attachment is not always formed through computer games. In order to recognize the problem in time, parents should know and distinguish between three types of Internet addiction.

Gaming. The child often plays computer games for a long time.
Network. Excessive passion for correspondence on social networks.
Surfing. Long, aimless browsing of websites and beautiful pictures.

Rules for communicating with the Internet

Is the Internet really necessary for a small child? In fact, a preschooler does not need it. All development and logical ingenuity are available in paper versions. These are educational board games. But if, nevertheless, you decide to develop your child using the World Wide Web, you should strictly follow the following rules:

Time. For children of different ages, the following standards have been established for staying at the computer (tablet, iPhone):

up to 5 years - no more than 10 minutes
5-7 years - up to 20 minutes
7-11 years - up to 30 minutes
12-14 years - up to 45 minutes
15-16 years old - up to 2 hours with breaks

Control. To know what your child is doing online, place the computer so that the monitor is always visible. For example, in a passage room, in a hallway.

Access. There are special restricted access programs that block sites and banners with “non-children’s content”. Even if a child makes a request on this topic, the browser will give him a short course in biology. The structure of the organs of boys and girls. Let him develop, since he is so curious.

In addition, you can enable “parental controls” on your computer. Its advantages:

limits time
tracks all activities on the Internet,
blocks indecent sites,
allows you to download games taking into account age restrictions.

Free time. Often, a child gets addicted to the computer because he is having a stupid time, because he doesn’t know what to do with himself. Don't use the Internet as a babysitter. Spend time with your children. Walk in nature, go to a cafe, cinema, talk, read books.

Additional classes. To prevent your child from sitting at the computer again, enroll him in a sports section, a club, or dancing. This way you will kill two birds with one stone: less time on the Internet + physical development.

More communication. Invite your child's friends to visit. It's much more fun to play with two or three than one. Communication skills, imagination, creativity, and speech develop. Virtual reality will not replace “live” communication.

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The problem of computer and Internet addiction among young people is widely discussed both in the pedagogical and medical environment. The life of a modern person of any age cannot be imagined without a computer and the Internet, which are important means of processing information and exchanging it. The Internet is the latest means of communication, which has both positive and negative effects on the human psyche. There is no doubt that excessive use of the Internet causes harm to a person’s physical and mental health, and can also harm his social status. People immersed in virtual reality forget about the realities of life, practically stop leaving the house, drop out of school, they become fatigued, and chronic lack of sleep, malnutrition and visual overload lead to serious health problems. The need to leave the Internet causes emotional arousal and anxiety in such people.

Modern medicine has not yet included obsessive computer addiction in the official classification of mental illnesses. This topic is extremely controversial; many scientists doubt how real this phenomenon is, believing that computer and Internet addiction does not cause serious harm to human health. Even the American psychiatrist I. Goldberg, who put forward the concept of “Internet addiction” in 1995 and defined the criteria for Internet addiction, did this as a joke, since he did not believe and still does not believe in the existence of Internet addiction.

Nevertheless, the volume of research is constantly growing, proving the presence of physiological disorders in people who work at a computer for a long time. This is a sleep disturbance, the appearance of numerous complaints of irritability, decreased mood, anxiety, nervousness, increased fatigue, visual, muscle and mental fatigue, changes in galvanic skin response, heart rate, blood pressure.

The founder of the study of Internet addiction is considered to be Kimberly S. Young, professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. In 1995, she concluded that the computer can destroy human life both physically and mentally and socially. She drew an analogy between addiction to drugs, alcohol, gambling, overeating, sex and Internet addiction and created a test questionnaire that identifies Internet addiction. According to Young, about 5% of Internet users were Internet addicts - and this was at a time when computer technology was weaker and the Internet's prevalence was lower than today. In 1998-1999, the first serious scientific works on this problem appeared (K. Young, D. Greenfield, etc.). At the same time, advisory, diagnostic and research services on the problem of Internet addiction were created in the United States.

In our country, this phenomenon is studied mainly by psychologists who see similarities between Internet addiction and excessive gambling or chemical addictions such as smoking and drug addiction. The first Russian doctor to study this problem in detail was psychiatrist V.A. Loskutova, who translated and adapted K. Young’s test and proposed considering Internet addiction as one of the non-chemical addictions with appropriate diagnostic criteria and correction. According to her data, the main motivational factors for Internet addiction are the possibility of anonymous communication with people, free from moral and ethical control, the realization of fantasies unattainable in real life, identifying oneself with any characters, an unlimited choice of interlocutors and their rapid change in any corner of the world. , unlimited access to any information, a sense of personal power [Loskutova].

Recent research by psychiatrists suggests that different forms of addiction are interconnected and can transform into one another: non-chemical drug addiction is often replaced by chemical addiction, and alcohol or drugs are also added to the Internet [Kirdan, 2006]. In addition, various mental disorders are often hidden behind Internet addiction. On the other hand, it is known that in the pathogenesis of non-chemical addictions, serotonin deficiency is important, which is manifested by anxiety, low mood, even suicidal behavior [Mosolov]. Thus, Internet addiction can be defined as a non-chemical addiction, accompanied by severe psychological symptoms and social maladjustment.

K. Young identified five main types of Internet addiction:

1) obsessive, endless travels on the Internet in search of various information;
2) addiction to communication and dating on the Internet;
3) obsessive passion for computer games on the Internet;
4) obsessive desire to visit porn sites and engage in virtual sex;
5) the desire to make sometimes completely unnecessary purchases in online stores,

M. Orzak identified physiological and psychological symptoms, the identification of which can indicate that a person has computer or Internet addiction. She included the inability to stop, euphoria, increased time spent at the computer as psychological symptoms; feelings of irritation, anxiety and even depression when a person is not at the computer; neglect of family and friends, lying to family or work about one's activities, problems with work or school. Physiological symptoms include dryness and pain in the eyes, migraine-like headaches, back pain, damage to the nerve trunks of the arm as a result of prolonged muscle strain, sleep disorders, problems with the gastrointestinal tract due to irregular nutrition, and neglect of personal hygiene.

K. Young says that when they stop using the Internet, addicts experience a typical withdrawal symptom, expressed in increased anxiety, irritability, even to a state of depression. Internet addicts are individualists, easily adapt to relative isolation, have a high level of abstract thinking, sensitive and emotionally reacting to other people, sometimes with such intensity of emotions that is impossible in face-to-face communication. As a result, this can lead to the fact that an Internet addict becomes an outsider in real life and then uses the Network to receive social support, psychological and sexual satisfaction, as well as the possibility of creating a new “I”, thus gaining recognition from others.

The problem of Internet addiction among young people is especially relevant, since today even young children, instead of playing with toys, sit at the computer. Very often on the Internet, teenagers find themselves in an online role-playing game, which after a while becomes their favorite pastime: there they play and communicate, and the game, which has no end, gradually becomes more real than life itself. When choosing a character, an enthusiastic child draws his appearance and gives him the characteristics that he himself would like to have. He finds himself in a fairy-tale world, where communication begins, the style of which he chooses independently. A teenager of 13-15 years old can be so experienced in the game that even older people begin to treat him as an equal during the game. There is a feeling that you are not alone, your interests are shared by millions of people whom you can easily meet, there is no need to think about what is good and what is bad, what is decent and what is not, no one will judge, you can easily hit back at the offender. Games of this type satisfy almost all needs - communication on any topic, flirting and even social fulfillment: boys feel like breadwinners, knights capable of protecting a girl; the girls, in turn, help them and support them. As a result, the teenager understands that there are many like him, and if a problem arises in reality, then he lets it go by itself, returning to the Internet, and does not notice how he becomes Internet addicted.

The onset of addiction in a teenager does not occur immediately, but goes through several stages.

1. Stage of mild infatuation. Having played the game for the first time, the child receives positive emotions, because he so wants to be strong and self-confident; he compares the real world and the virtual one and can choose the latter, although there is no need for the game yet.
2. The stage of enthusiasm, when the need to play appears. The game becomes systematic.
3. The stage of addiction, at which the game replaces the real world.

In one of our studies [by Marinov], the peculiarities of Moscow schoolchildren’s attitude towards the Internet and their possible Internet addiction were studied. The survey results showed that schoolchildren consider the Internet a useful discovery that primarily helps them in their studies. They have heard about the impact of the computer on health, about Internet addiction, but they are not afraid of either the first or the second. Despite this, 12% of respondents were diagnosed with Internet addiction syndrome.

It is obvious that modern computer technologies have a great impact on the psyche of adolescents. Every day there are more and more Internet users, but not all of them are “absorbed” by virtual reality and become mentally dependent. There is an opinion that only people who have a tendency to develop various types of addictions become Internet addicts, that is, the negative impact of the Internet is directly related to the user’s personality characteristics and may be the result of a disorder of volitional control. The concept of D.V. is interesting. Kolesov, who explains the fundamental similarity of different types of addictions by a need cycle with a hedonic core, which suggests the similarity of neurophysiological mechanisms for obtaining pleasure, regardless of the subject of addiction [Kolesov].

While experts continue to argue about whether Internet addiction is a disease or not, whether it is necessary to create specialized clinics or not, the number of Internet addicts among young people continues to increase. It is impossible to talk about Internet addiction syndrome, because... the specificity of the disease manifests itself more socially than physically. Naturally, this disease cannot be treated like alcoholism or drug addiction, because in the modern world of computers, complete abstinence from them is impossible, and the problem of pathological addiction arises only when the desire to disconnect from reality becomes the central, dominant idea of a person. The Internet is a new reality that must be reckoned with, therefore further multidisciplinary research is needed on its impact on humans.

The World Wide Web has firmly entered the living space of many modern people. And not only those who have reached adulthood, but also very young and even small ones. According to numerous studies, children under 15 spend up to three hours on the Internet every day. Well, a sixth of the younger generation spends at least 8 hours online. Naturally, such a pastime cannot but affect children. This is why it is necessary to understand and what are the possible consequences for the psychological and physical health of a child or teenager.

Children quickly get used to something, especially if this “something” is as interesting as the Internet. In it you can find a lot of cartoons, toys, and also meet interesting people. Of course, such diversity attracts the baby. But what are the possible consequences of being overly enthusiastic about the World Wide Web?

Psychological studies show that children's memory processes deteriorate. That is, the baby begins to remember not the information itself, but the way to get to it. Consequently, the child can no longer rely on his own memory.
Deficiency of sensory information. A small child sitting at a computer will receive significantly less information from the world around him. This applies to sound and taste signals, tactile sensations. Such deprivation negatively affects overall development.
Health problems. First of all, this includes the curvature of the spinal column due to improper sitting at the gadget. Visual acuity also deteriorates significantly, since children do not pay attention to eye hygiene.
Excess weight. Many children exchange active activities for social networks or online games. The result of such pastime options is extra pounds or even banal obesity.
Viewing scenes not intended for children. On the World Wide Web, at every step you can literally see scenes of cruelty or videos of an intimate nature. As a result, children develop a distorted perception of reality, where aggression and promiscuous sex are considered the norm.
Low sociability. A child who is captivated by virtual reality begins to be less interested in live communication with friends and classmates. Some children don’t even want to go to preschool or school, because the Internet is “much more interesting.”
Formation of dependence. In this case, we are talking about the so-called surfing - wandering through various Internet resources without a particular goal, just for the sake of viewing beautiful pictures. And the brightness and richness of graphics leads to psychological dependence.

Of course, speaking of How does the Internet affect a child?, we can’t help but mention some of the advantages. For example, a baby can occasionally watch educational cartoons (together with his mother), and a schoolchild can receive information important for his studies.

Prevention of possible problems

Let's decide whether it is necessary to introduce a preschooler to the Internet? The answer is negative. Many educational activities can be carried out with the help of toys and paper “helpers”. The last option is to turn on cartoons on the TV.

In any case, there are certain normative indicators for children being in front of a personal computer (laptop, other gadgets). Consider the maximum recommended number of minutes per day:

less than five years – less than 10 minutes;
from five to seven years – less than 20 minutes;
from seven to 11 years – less than half an hour;
up to 14 years – less than 45 minutes;
up to 16 years old – less than two hours (with pauses).

In addition, there are other ways to control the situation. The simplest way is to install a PC in your own room, where the child will be under control. You can also install special software that can block unwanted information.

The best option is to prevent your child from getting bored and reaching for the computer. Most often, children go online due to a simple inability to keep themselves busy. Therefore, enroll your child in a club (based on interests), play sports together, go on picnics, attend cinemas and children's plays. Get involved in reading!

Thus, the opinion that How does the Internet affect a child?, rather negative. In most cases, the World Wide Web negatively affects all areas of life of a child and teenager. This is why parents should reconsider their views on social networks and computer toys and devote more time to their child.

A computer is a device that is already present in almost every home. The Internet is also required. The global network that has enveloped the Earth has absorbed a lot of information, which it actively shares with people. Almost everything is published on the Internet: magazines, newspapers, books, all kinds of films. Thanks to the World Wide Web, a person can gain enormous knowledge.

For adults, the Internet is unlikely to pose a danger. Since adults are independent, self-affirming individuals. But for a fragile child’s psyche, the information presented on the Internet can be dangerous. These are numerous sites with porn information, similar content articles and videos. These are sites with crime reports, documentary programs about maniacs, human cruelty, and inappropriate behavior. Children, especially preschoolers, must be protected from films with aggressive plots and horror films. Parents can use special programs to prevent preschoolers from accessing certain sites so that they do not accidentally come across information that can harm their fragile psyche.

Harm of computer games for children

Young children are able to absorb everything they see on the screen, they learn about the world thanks to this. Games on the computer attract little girls and boys and can literally cause a painful addiction. Computer games have an interesting plot for kids, excellent graphics, they are colorful and bright. Sitting in front of the monitor can win or lose. The opponent must be killed in order to neutralize him, to become complete winners. Since you can kill someone in games, kids begin to think that this is possible in the real world. They can draw such conclusions due to excessive passion for computer games. Therefore, parents should carefully monitor what sites their preschool children visit and what games they play.

The benefits of the global network for preschoolers

But we should not forget about the benefits of the Internet for preschoolers. You can find a lot of useful information for children there:

there are wonderful cartoons on the web, in different languages;
websites that help you learn a foreign language faster;
many books and fairy tales;
The child will be able to find many answers to his questions thanks to the World Wide Web.

Pressing buttons on the keyboard and controlling the mouse also develops fine motor skills. Thanks to the network and the information received on it, children will develop as needed. They will acquire the knowledge they need. It doesn’t matter where the baby lives: in a village or in a big city. You can get the same information online from anywhere in the world.

What should you do to protect your kids from troubles on the Internet?

In order for the Internet to bring only benefits to a preschooler, and the amount of harm to be minimal, parents should establish strict control over what exactly the child is looking for on the Internet. There is no need to install a computer in your baby’s room so that he has uncontrolled access to the device all the time. You need to talk to your child and explain to him that you can come across bad people or bad sites on the Internet and that the child himself should avoid them. You will definitely need software with parental controls. You also need to teach your child how to use the search correctly. It is necessary to add the most useful sites to bookmarks, the child will get used to them and it will be interesting for him to look there constantly.