Plugged in: How Media Attract and Affect Youth

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Yale University Press, Jan 1, 2017 - Psychology - 328 pages
An illuminating study of the complex relationship between children and media in the digital age

Now, as never before, young people are surrounded by media--thanks to the sophistication and portability of the technology that puts it literally in the palms of their hands. Drawing on data and empirical research that cross many fields and continents, authors Valkenburg and Piotrowski examine the role of media in the lives of children from birth through adolescence, addressing the complex issues of how media affect the young and what adults can do to encourage responsible use in an age of selfies, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

This important study looks at both the sunny and the dark side of media use by today's youth, including why and how their preferences change throughout childhood, whether digital gaming is harmful or helpful, the effects of placing tablets and smartphones in the hands of toddlers, the susceptibility of young people to online advertising, the legitimacy of parental concerns about media multitasking, and more.
 

Contents

1 Youth and Media
1
2 Then and Now
10
3 Themes and Theoretical Perspectives
28
4 Infants Toddlers and Preschoolers
44
5 Children
63
6 Adolescents
78
7 Media and Violence
96
8 Media and Emotions
116
11 Media and Education
175
12 Digital Games
195
13 Social Media
218
14 Media and Parenting
244
15 The End
267
Notes
277
Acknowledgments
313
Index
315

9 Advertising and Commercialism
137
10 Media and Sex
158

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About the author (2017)

Patti M. Valkenburg is a university distinguished professor of media, youth, and society at the University of Amsterdam. She has published over 160 academic articles on children, media, and technology. Her work has received numerous awards in both Europe and the United States. Jessica Taylor Piotrowski is an associate professor of youth and media entertainment and the director of CcaM, the Center for Research on Children, Adolescents, and the Media, at the University of Amsterdam. She is a consultant for the children's media industry. Her work appears regularly in communication, psychology, and education journals.

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