Intro:
TV has been around since the 1920s. However, just like other inventions, like the internet, it has its ups and downs. It all depends on how often you watch it, what you watch, and how you internalize it.
Representation:
A study published in 2016 by Julie Sloane found that a majority of adolescents prefer to watch TV shows with characters that are similar to themselves, perhaps because these characters help teenagers build their identity.
In looking for diversity in mainstream shows, it is often found that females are significantly underrepresented. However, researchers also find that female adolescents prefer watching shows that contain greater female representation.
The ratio of Black characters in top shows is 13%, though it is suspected that the types of Black characters portrayed is still limited.
Depending on what kids watch, they can develop stereotypes, prejudice, and other false understandings of minority groups. It's best to monitor what they watch.
Why It Can Be Harmful:
A lot of research these days leaves out a big factor in determining how much TV kids should watch; heredity. Around half the risk of a kid developing antisocial behaviors is heredity. The remaining half however, is based off of environmental factors. Genes that influence neural signals like dopamine and serotonin are connected to an increased criminality, antisocial behavior and psychological disorders.
The amount of TV a person should watch differs. Everyone's brains are different, and that's why some people can binge watch friends for 3 hours while others can't. Watching more TV than is healthy for your mental state may trigger various neurobiological changes that ultimately intensify any urges of aggressive behavior. In cases like these, limiting the amount of TV a kid is allowed to watch is warranted. For other children, it may not be the case.
Conclusion:
TV may or may not rot your brain, but sitting in front of one for hours on end seems like a waste of time and brain power.
Speech:
TV can be either harmful or helpful depending on how often you watch it, what you watch, and how you internalize it. It's important to make sure your children are watching appropriate, non-stereotyped, and diverse programs and shows so that they can experience multiple types of culture. If a kid starts acting out and you are able to draw a correlation to their behavior and TV, it may be time to limit their hours on screens, check what they're watching, and start to monitor their emotional state.