Psychologists Explain How the Internet Affects Children / ITech content

Contents:

• Why is the digital world so attractive to children?
• How is the Internet changing the thinking of children and teenagers?
• How to develop healthy digital skills in a child?

The digitalization of childhood has become a response to modern challenges. Technology has permeated everyday life, and children are increasingly interacting with digital devices. This phenomenon is driven by the need to adapt to a rapidly changing world, where information is available anytime and anywhere. However, despite the benefits, digitalization requires a careful approach. It is important to consider the impact of technology on children's development, their mental health, and social skills. Measures are needed to ensure the safe and responsible use of digital resources. Parental and teacher support is key in this process, as they can help children learn to critically perceive information and balance between virtual and real life.

• For a child to be safe, they must be connected;
• For them to develop, they must use digital opportunities: looking up a word in a search engine, asking a classmate about homework, sending grandma a photo of a cat—all of this requires a gadget.

The digital environment significantly influences children's development, and this process raises many questions. What are the real consequences of the internet for the younger generation? What is the balance between the positive and negative aspects of its use? How can we maximize the benefits of digital technology and minimize potential harm? Psychologists Yulia Starostina and Alexandra Dolgikh will answer these questions, offering a deep understanding of the impact of the Internet on children and recommendations for the safe and effective use of digital resources.

In this article, you will receive information about…

• why the Internet attracts children;
• how it changes their learning ability and communication skills;
• how to develop healthy digital skills in a child.

Researcher at the Faculty of Developmental Psychology at Lomonosov Moscow State University. Educational psychologist with experience working in schools, specializing in conducting trainings for adolescents. A member of the Russian Psychological Society, actively involved in research and the exchange of professional experience.

Candidate of Psychological Sciences, child, family and developmental psychologist. I am the head of the master's program "Cyberpsychology" at Moscow State University. I also head the Laboratory of Adolescent Information Security Psychology at the Psychological Institute of the Russian Academy of Education. My work focuses on studying the interaction between psychology and modern technology, which allows us to effectively address issues related to the mental health and safety of young people in the digital space.

This article is based on the free course "The (Non)Children's Internet," developed by Skillbox in collaboration with MTS. In this course, practicing and academic psychologists share their knowledge on how to teach children safe and effective internet use. The goal of the course is to help parents make the internet a source of useful information and safe entertainment for their children.

Why is the digital world so attractive to children?

The digital environment has both positive and negative impacts on children. However, the key is to be able to manage this influence. It is important for parents to be aware of what their children are watching and listening to, as well as what content they are interacting with. This will help ensure the safe and beneficial use of digital technology, promoting the development of critical thinking skills and media literacy in children.

Modern children are growing up in a digital world, and completely isolating them from technology is neither possible nor advisable. Instead, it's important to learn how to channel their interactions with gadgets in a useful and engaging way. This will prevent addictions and help develop the skills needed in the digital age.

Many parents mistakenly believe that children spend their time online doing useless things and simply wasting their time. However, it's not that simple. If children spend time online, it indicates that the internet satisfies certain needs. Why is this happening? To understand, it's worth considering the most popular types of content that interest children online.

• Games with quick success. In a game, you can quickly advance from level to level, and each new level is accompanied by a reward. In real life, things are different: to do something worthy of praise or a reward, you need to invest a lot of time and effort. Therefore, games give children what they crave—easy success.
• Content about superheroes and superpowers. It engages imagination—a powerful thought process that develops in early school age. The role of imagination is to create an image of the "ideal self," to outline the impossible, and then relate it to life. Parents can help in this process of relating by trying to figure out together with their child: what does a superhero have that your child lacks? Why is this important to them? How can this be achieved, at least partially, in real life?
• Blogs about other children's lives. Children produce a lot of content, independently or with the help of adults: they film their games, pets, educational videos with creativity. This is a way for some children to see how others live - how they dress, what objects, toys, and books they have. All this expands the child's understanding of life.

The digital environment has both positive and negative influences on children, but this influence is controllable. Parents should be aware of what content their child consumes, as well as what programs and media formats they use. It's important not only to monitor what your child watches and listens to, but also to actively participate in choosing high-quality, educational content that can develop their skills and knowledge. Creating a healthy digital environment is a key task for parents in the modern world.

Many parents worry that their children may become addicted to the internet. Indeed, such an addiction can develop, but most often it is a symptom of other problems, such as a lack of communication with peers or family members. If a child lacks engaging activities and opportunities for social interaction, and their environment consists of monotonous and uninteresting elements, the internet can become their only source of emotion. However, if parents actively create a positive environment for their child by organizing interesting meetings, events, and activities, and by monitoring the time spent on devices, the likelihood of addiction is significantly reduced. It's important to remember that ensuring meaningful leisure time and interaction with the outside world will help avoid internet addiction problems.

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Be sure to check out the additional materials:

Internet addiction in children: definition and ways to overcome

Internet addiction in children is a condition in which a child experiences an excessive addiction to online activities, which leads to negative consequences in his life. This can manifest itself in a disruption of the educational process, deterioration of communication with family and friends, as well as a decrease in physical activity.

To combat internet addiction, it is important to establish clear rules for internet use. Parents should monitor the time children spend online and offer alternative activities, such as sports, reading, or creativity. It is also helpful to create a favorable atmosphere for communication, where children can share their experiences and interests.

Psychological support and open conversations about the safe use of technology can play a key role in overcoming addiction. In case of serious problems, consultation with a specialist may be necessary. The main thing to remember is that a balance between online and offline life is necessary for the healthy development of a child.

How the Internet Changes the Thinking of Children and Teens

One of the significant changes noticeable to both parents and teachers is the transformation of learning patterns. Today's children are increasingly less likely to memorize facts, formulas, or dates, as access to this information has become easy and quick online. Educators believe that schoolchildren are experiencing memory loss, but this isn't entirely true. American psychologist Betsy Sparrow argues that instant access to information helps relieve cognitive load, allowing the brain to use its resources for more complex tasks. This phenomenon is known as the "Google effect." Thus, modern approaches to education require a restructuring of teaching methods, focusing on the development of critical thinking and information analysis skills, which is becoming especially relevant in the digital age.

There is a common myth about the negative impact of the Internet on memory. However, this is not true: memory continues to function effectively, simply adapting to the demands of the digital environment. Previously, facts such as addresses, phone numbers, and dates were important. Today, the new generation is learning to memorize information retrieval methods, such as where to find the data needed or how to save a screenshot. Thus, the internet does not weaken our memory, but rather changes the way we use it and develop information retrieval skills.

Modern society is undergoing significant changes, and one of these is the development of clip-based thinking. Today's children have a unique ability to distribute attention and quickly switch between tasks. In the face of information overload, which has significantly increased, they have mastered the skills of speed reading and analysis. The ability to "skim" and highlight key points has become essential for them. This influence of clip-based thinking not only changes the approach to learning but also forms new strategies for perceiving information, which is important to consider when developing educational programs and methods.

On the other hand, people are finding it difficult to maintain attention on one task for a long time. As a result, the skill of thoughtful reading is losing its significance. This can negatively impact the ability to deeply analyze and perceive information. Given today's information overload, it's important to develop the ability to focus and read attentively so as not to miss key points and details.

Clip thinking is a result of the modern information society. It allows children and adults to process the huge amounts of information we encounter daily on the Internet. However, if we strive to develop children's ability to read and understand long texts and complex plots, we need to balance the amount of content they consume. It's important to limit light internet content and include more rich sources, such as books, magazines, and long films. However, children cannot accomplish this task on their own. It's parents' responsibility to support them in this process by creating conditions for the development of deep reading and critical thinking skills. Parents note that today's digital childhood faces a number of challenges. One of the main concerns is the impact of technology on children's mental health. Excessive time spent on screens can lead to a deterioration in emotional well-being and social isolation. Parents are also concerned about online safety, including the risk of cyberbullying and access to inappropriate content. Another challenge is the impact of digital technology on the educational process. Children are often distracted from their studies by the availability of entertainment content. This leads to decreased concentration and poor academic performance. Parents also note that the influence of social media creates unrealistic expectations in children regarding appearance and success, which can negatively impact their self-esteem.

In this regard, it is important for parents to be actively involved in the digital lives of their children, teaching them the safe and responsible use of technology.

• Children are increasingly less interested in communicating with each other and with adults;
• loneliness, alienation, and rejection are growing;
• many children experience difficulties in communication;
• a high level of aggression in society in general and in children's groups in particular;
• a high level of egocentrism and a low level of empathy, it is difficult for children to put themselves in someone else's shoes: they do not understand why they should do this.

How to develop healthy digital skills in a child?

• Parents must honestly answer the question of why they are giving their child a gadget now: so that he or she can learn something, do something useful, or simply not interfere? If it's to keep them from getting in the way, could they be given something else to do? Of course, there are critical moments—for example, when parents are tired and unwilling to create any alternative at all. But if possible, it's better to occupy the child with another activity: for example, turn on an audio story, give them pencils, and ask them to draw the story.
• Explain to your child that a gadget is a tool, not a goal. Explain what you use it for: contacting colleagues, searching for useful information and a book, choosing a route. It's best to directly involve the child in this activity, for example: "Look up a pancake recipe online."
• It's important to monitor what content your child likes most and why. What exactly do they want to get online, and what needs does it satisfy? Maybe they have nowhere to vent their aggression, so they choose shooting games? Or are they constantly posting photos because they want attention? Or does he just rarely get to see his friends, so they created a Brawl Stars team?
• And finally, and most importantly, learn to balance your child's virtual and real lives. If a child has friends their own age, a nurturing environment, and interesting leisure activities outside the internet, they will be able to easily cope with the absence of gadgets and will grow up to be a well-rounded individual.