Human Development: A Lifespan
FCS 324 (17232)
PSYC 370 (17233)
Spring 2016
Instructor: Anna Otto
Project 2
Kids and Screen Media
Purpose:
It was recently reported that American’s view an average of 5 hours of television per day
(Hinckley, 2014). The average amount of viewing varied by age group: 12-17 year olds viewed
the least at 20 hours 41 minutes per week, and those 65-plus viewed the most at 50 hours 23
minutes. In addition to television, many Americans also watch screen media sources via movies,
DVDs and the computer. Therefore, it seems reasonable to conclude that screen media is a
powerful influence in the lives of most children today. Through the media, kids receive
messages about all aspects of their lives (e.g., how they should look, dress, behave). For this
project, you will view a show or movie and evaluate how you think it impacts its youth viewers.
Format:
The paper should be approximately 3-5 pages, typed and double-spaced. Be sure to use good
sentence and paragraph structure. The project has three components: choosing and viewing a
television show or a movie, writing a summary of the item viewed, and then providing a written
evaluation of its impact. Your evaluation will focus on one of the age groups from the second
unit: early childhood, middle childhood, or adolescence. Your media item and age group should
be in agreement (i.e., you should choose a media source that is appropriate for the group you are
evaluating). This project is worth 50 points.
Content:
Start by choosing and viewing a form of screen media – television show or movie -- and an age
group – early childhood, middle childhood, or adolescence. You will identify the show or movie
you have chosen. Provide its name and the type of screen media (i.e., television show or movie).
Also provide the rating (e.g., PG or PG-13 for a movie, and TV-Y or TV-Y7 for a television
show); be sure you choose a media item that is appropriately rated for the group you are
considering for your report. For a television show, provide the name of the series and the name
or number of the episode viewed.
Next provide a summary of the item you watched. Who are some of the main characters? What
is the primary story line? What are some explicit and implicit messages that might be picked up
by youth viewers?
Finally, write a report comparing your selected media and the age group you have selected. Now
that you have summarized your media, you will evaluate how it impacts its viewers. How do the
messages compare to the tasks of the age group (in each of the domains)? Are the messages
healthy ones or hurtful ones? You may want to start by identifying your target age group and
highlighting some of the primary developmental tasks. You can then compare the message given
through the media to the critical areas of development. Does the media give messages that will
help or hinder development in each of the domains? Does it accurately reflect typical
development in each of the areas?
References
Hinckley, D. (2014, March 5). Average American watches 5 hours of TV per day. NY Daily
News. Retrieved from http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/average-american-watches-5hours-tv-day-article-1.1711954
Due Date:
This project is due at the beginning of class on 4/7/16.