Essay on sociology “The influence of television on the social behavior of modern youth.

Many spiritual communities are now writing that television should be excluded from their daily lives, since the influence of television on a person is very harmful. Is it so? I do not undertake to be the ultimate truth, I will voice several, in my opinion, important pros and cons in this topic, and it’s up to you to decide what to do next.

What is the most valuable thing in life for the average person?

Basically, this is your own health and the health of loved ones, a harmonious internal state, formed from external factors: decent earnings, good relationships, a calm political and economic situation in the country.

Few people just think about the fact that external harmony is formed from internal harmony, but this is a topic for another article.

So, when we turn on the TV, it is difficult to maintain an internal harmonious state:

How to protect your health from the harmful effects of TV

We will start our conversation about the dangers of watching TV with specific numbers and statistics. Australian scientists conducted research for 6 years, involving thousands of volunteer respondents in their surveys. As a result of the scientific event, the following was found:

• Those people who spend less than 2 hours a day watching TV have an 80% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease than those who watch TV for 4 hours a day or more.
• An additional hour of watching TV programs increases the risk of developing cancer by 9% and heart disease by 11%.
• Diabetes, obesity, hypertension are common consequences of prolonged television viewing.
• And about the dangers of TV for children. The risk of losing visual acuity at a very young age is 70%.

Of course, the reason for this is not the destructive influence of the device itself, the radiation from its elements. It's all about the lifestyle that avid TV viewers lead. They spend a huge amount of time sitting or lying in front of the screen, forgetting about physical exercises and eye exercises. In addition, the amount of food eaten in front of the TV is difficult to control. And, for the most part, this is not healthy food, but fatty, salty snacks, chocolates, dragees, and sweet carbonated water.

1. Do not watch TV at a short distance. Acceptable 2 - 3 meters.
2. Lighting should be taken into account: it is not recommended to watch programs in complete darkness, and vice versa, with the lights on brightly. Important: at night you should watch TV with a weak light source. If the bright sun shines through the window, it is best to cover it with curtains. Avoid direct sunlight on the TV.
3. It is not recommended to eat while watching your favorite movie or concert. This way you harm your stomach. This is because you are experiencing not only eye perception, but also emotional contact. Minor anxiety or excitement leads to disturbances in the body.
4. It is best to place the screen at eye level or choose a lower location.
5. It is worth taking short intervals between watching programs, and also ventilating the room.
6. It wouldn't hurt to do a few exercises that will help relieve tension from your back muscles.
7. Remove outdated TV models from your home.
8. Don’t look at one point for a long time; it’s best to run your eyes all over the monitor.
9. Limit the total time you watch TV, it is better to play sports, your favorite hobby, or just be in the fresh air.

Typically, the harm of television for a child lies in excessive viewing time. It's no secret that some parents find it much easier to keep their children busy with TV than to come up with new entertainment for them. What negative aspects are hidden in an excessive passion for TV?

1. TV shows put a lot of stress on a child’s mental and emotional sphere. It has been established that children who are overly keen on TV are characterized by unstable psyche, irritability, and touchiness. In addition, due to incorrect positioning in front of the screen, visual acuity is reduced.
2. Unfortunately, on many television channels there are programs and films replete with profanity, scenes of violence, and eroticism. A child left alone with the remote control will definitely stumble upon such unwanted programs.
3. Television is a bright world, much more attractive and interesting than everyday life. Judge for yourself, modern TV shows demonstrate to teenagers the importance of material wealth, an idle lifestyle, and quick success. The child forms his worldview based on gloss and glamor, unable to resist the bright cover.

Television as the main manipulator of public opinion

In the presented video, an experiment with a Bobo doll and small children is given as an example of the influence of television, but one must understand that television also influences adult viewers.

Experiment by psychologist Solomon Asch

In 1951, American psychologist Solomon Asch conducted a series of simple but very revealing experiments. He sat groups of 8 people in the audience and showed them 2 pictures. One line was drawn on one picture. In the second picture, three lines were drawn, differing in length. It was necessary to say which of these three lines coincides in length with the one shown on the sample. They were noticeably different. The trick was this. In each group of 8 people, only one was actually examined. The remaining 7 were decoys. The subject was told that the purpose of the experiment was to test visual perception. Although in fact, conformism was studied, that is, a person’s tendency to agree with the opinion of the majority.

The real subject always answered last in line. That is, he previously saw and heard the answers of the other seven participants. There were 18 attempts in total. And in the first two attempts, the decoys gave the correct answers. The subject could thus make sure that his eyes were not deceiving him, and feel great. But in subsequent attempts, the decoys deliberately gave incorrect answers in unison, claiming that two obviously different lines coincided in length. The subject heard 7 identical answers that unanimously contradicted what his own eyes saw, and then it was his turn to answer.

What did the results of the experiment show?

The results of the experiment showed that 37% of the subjects gave the same answer that the group gave! The experiment demonstrated that a huge part of people are ready not to even believe their own eyes, just to agree with the opinion of the majority. And television, in the perception of viewers, most often presents its position as the opinion of the majority, or as an expert opinion, thereby motivating the audience not to think about many issues on their own, but simply to accept the broadcast point of view. Now let's watch a few more videos that reveal the goals that popular Russian television shows are working to achieve. The videos were made at different times and by different people, so they differ noticeably in video and audio quality, but they are still united by a single analytical approach.

https://youtu.be/o4MLAOMRDcAhttps
https://youtu.be/Bb7wnOpjEUg

Unstructured management

As you probably noticed, the term “propaganda” constantly appears in all the videos. What does it actually mean, and is it appropriate to use it? In fact, the materials of the Teach Good project always talk about unstructured management, but this is done in a language that is accessible and understandable to a wide audience, for which they use well-known vocabulary and, in particular, the term “propaganda”, which implies the management of social processes by disseminating specific information. But let's first understand how the management process can proceed.

Management can be structural, that is, it is like in the army - when there is a superior and a subordinate, and one gives orders and controls the other. An army or any other system with a similar hierarchy is the structure through which information processes flow and tasks assigned from above are solved. But it is also possible to manage without structure - by creating such an information environment around the object that will stimulate it to act in the manner desired by the customer. The simplest example is advertising. She doesn’t directly tell anyone “go and buy such and such a thing,” she acts differently: she creates an attractive image for the product and tries to create a new need in the viewer, the answer to which will be the purchase. There is no order or structure, but a person goes and buys a product forced on him. But not only objects, but also patterns of behavior, ideas, outlooks on life, life guidelines, and values ​​can be advertised or promoted into society using an unstructured method. So, the purposeful and systematic promotion of some ideas in an unstructured way - this, in the terminology familiar to a wide audience, is “propaganda”, which is what all the media without exception do, although many journalists do not even realize this. Therefore, in order to have a good understanding of propaganda issues, it is advisable to know the basic principles of management theory and understand how the processes of unstructured management take place in society. At the end of the course, we will recommend you a list of books that are useful to read. You should also try to switch to using the correct terminology. In particular, the media are inherently a means of shaping and controlling public consciousness , and, when appropriate, it is better to call them that.

"Doesn't affect me"

Many will say: “Well, I watched the episode ]]>Comedy Club]]>!, laughed at their obscene jokes, but after that I didn’t go to the pub and didn’t cheat on my wife. It turns out that your unstructured management or propaganda in relation to me is not working?” Firstly, the fact that you didn’t immediately go and grab a bottle doesn’t mean that the TV show didn’t influence you in any way. For example, after watching ]]>content like TNT]]>, a person at least becomes more tolerant of vice, because the natural feeling of indignation and disgust is gradually replaced by humor and the positive emotions associated with it. In addition, information poisoning occurs gradually and unnoticed. The same advertisement must be shown to a person many times before he finally makes a decision. Likewise, the effect of television in imposing behavior patterns may not appear immediately and with its own specificity characteristic of an individual, because television always works with a mass audience. He is not interested in you personally, he is interested in the impact on society as a whole. With the help of critical thinking, you can block the identified destructive programs that they are trying to impose on you, and protect yourself from frankly degrading content. But in order for your filters of critical perception to be constantly active, you need to remember very well that no information passes without a trace and always affects a person in some way. The next time you hear from TV channel employees that their main task is to entertain viewers, then rest assured that under the guise of entertainment these people are simply hiding their destructive goals

We must always remember that no information passes without a trace and always influences a person in some way.

Information = food

To better understand this, the process of watching a movie, TV series, program or any other media product can be compared to the process of eating food. No one doubts that food is one of the main factors influencing human health. This effect does not appear immediately - you will not die from one hamburger and will not even notice the harmful effects, but once you introduce fast food into your regular diet, diseases will not keep you waiting. An absolutely similar principle of influence applies to the information that a person consumes. If food affects physical health, then information directly affects his mental and spiritual state. All products of the Russian TV channel TNT, and many other entertainment TV channels, are poisoned food, these are the same hamburgers that destroy you spiritually, gradually turning you into subhumans, and in the case of young people and children, initially blocking their opportunity to become full-fledged people. An abundance of vulgarity, perversion, flat humor, cynicism and stupidity are analogues of taste enhancers that are used in the food industry. It seems to society that it is only being entertained, while in fact it is being programmed. Let's watch another video on this topic.

In the same way that television promotes alcohol, other harmful behaviors are similarly promoted.

Distorted stereotypes of behavior formed by modern television:

• Being vulgar, cheeky, ready for life on display is the norm.
• A selfish, “major” lifestyle is the norm.
• Commercialism and obsession with money are the norm.
• The image of a stupid/fatal, accessible woman is the norm.
• The image of a reveler seeking a volatile relationship is the norm.
• Propaganda of vulgarity, shamelessness, and perversion is the norm.
• Promotion of alcohol and tobacco is the norm.

It would seem that if TV is so bad, stop watching it, and that’s all “personal information security” for you. But it's not that simple. After all, television poison in itself is very attractive. A kind of free cheese in a mousetrap. And other areas of modern mass culture, for the most part, do not bring anything good. Therefore, the point is not to remove the TV box from home and start consuming similar content from the Internet, but to, firstly, learn to distinguish good from bad, and for this you need to know about the impact of information on a person and be able to identify real the goals that such media content works to achieve, and secondly, you need to want to remove the bad. It’s like giving up alcohol and tobacco - it seems like there’s nothing complicated, you just stopped buying them and poisoning yourself with poisons, no one forces you, but, as practice shows, it’s not at all easy to “want” this very thing. The problem is that in the head there are already a large number of perception models and behavioral programs formed since childhood through the same TV, and their revision requires time and work on oneself. It is necessary to gradually review and re-evaluate many pieces of information that seem so familiar to you that you perceive them as something close and dear, but at the same time you have never really thought about their impact on your life. We will strive to ensure that you stop wasting your time on all harmful media content, clear your worldview of information garbage and move on to a conscious life, analyzing in detail in other lectures what modern popular TV series, films, cartoons, musical groups and much more.

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Information overload

Speaking about the dangers and benefits of TV, computer and telephone, one cannot help but focus on the fact that all of these together are sources of excess information. Moreover, not useful, but unnecessary, “garbage”. This is an incessant stream of series, television shows, movies, flavored with thousands of commercials.

And all this turns, in the end, into a “porridge” that the brain is simply not able to “digest.” It seems that you learned a lot of new and even interesting things. But it’s hard for you to remember what exactly.

The worst thing is that you fill your head with unnecessary information that is of no value to you personally. And human memory capabilities are limited. You simply don't leave any "slots" for anything truly valuable. Or you completely forget what is dear or useful to you.

The influence of television on human health is not entirely a myth. According to data received from scientists, the body is negatively affected by the intensity of the electromagnetic field exceeding 0.2 μT. CRT televisions equipped with a kinescope or having a cathode ray tube are capable of generating a field of 2 μT.

Such radiation from a TV is recorded in maximum proximity to the source: no more than a few centimeters. The further a person moves away, the lower the field performance. The optimal range is considered to be 1.1-1.2 meters: there is practically no harm.

Radiation from the TV is also dangerous - ionizing radiation, reminiscent of ordinary x-rays. It is formed when electrodes attack the protected screen. Normal anode voltage is 20-25 kV. If there is some malfunction in the electronics, the level rises to 90 kV, which already exceeds the voltage in the X-ray tubes.

The main source of radiation is a cathode ray tube. Beta particles have low energy. If the kinescope is of high quality, it provides reliable protection, thanks to which the electron beam practically does not extend beyond the boundaries of the device.

Lead-coated glass is used to reduce X-ray radiation. In very old devices there is an additional source of ionizing effects - triodes. They are located outside the kinescope and are necessary to stabilize the voltage. The lack of reliable protection leads to the fact that triodes “produce” more rays than the kinescope itself.

There is practically no radiation from an LCD TV, since there is no picture tube - the main source of danger. The image is projected completely differently. Special elements are used that do not require significant voltage. About 5 W is enough for them. Conductors generate minor radiation, which is “blocked” by special elements that provide protection.

There are no beta or x-rays in such devices. Electromagnetic radiation is negligible. You can fix it at the back wall of the device, where the main components and parts of the device are located. The matrix that creates the image is not a source of toxic radiation.

The harm from a plasma TV is minimal. The monitor of such devices is divided into numerous cells containing inert gas. When heated, it begins to glow. The device generates a large amount of heat and is not recommended to be placed in small rooms.

To amplify TV waves, it is necessary to increase the currents in certain nodes. This leads to increased radiation. The human body is not negatively affected if the device functions only as a receiving object. It is important that when locating stationary television towers, accepted standards are observed: such devices are not installed near residential buildings.

Features of vision in children

Separately, we note the harm of TV to the eyes:

• When we look at a screen, we focus our gaze on one point. This causes deformation of the lens, which may partially (and sometimes completely) lose its ability to change shape. And the reason for this is long-term static load.
• If the screen flickers in the dark, then your pupil changes its size depending on these flashes. And this is a strong strain on the eyes.
• The color tone on the screen is conveyed in several shades. It is difficult for the eye apparatus to read such information, so it gets tired faster. Constant such overexertion leads to rapid (and sometimes rapid) deterioration of vision.

On top of this, incorrect postures of TV viewers lead to deterioration of the body and weakening of muscle tone. And these are the prerequisites for painful osteochondrosis. A sedentary lifestyle takes a toll on your joints. First, you hear a characteristic crunch when moving, and then you observe the development of arthritis.

It is known that after prolonged or frequent viewing of TV, children's eyesight deteriorates in some cases. In order to prevent the onset of pathological processes, it is necessary to know what features children’s vision has. The size of the eyeball in a baby of the first year of life is shortened. Light rays are focused during this period behind the retina (and subsequently on it). This condition is called farsightedness (hyperopia).

If there are no deviations, then it disappears and vision returns to normal. Full maturation of the visual analyzers occurs by 3-5 years. It is important to understand that during this time period the eyes are most vulnerable to the negative influence of external factors, including prolonged viewing of TV.

Possible harm from TV

It is quite unusual that an invention that could contribute to the development of thinking and personal growth of a person is currently an attribute of a limited worldview and a lazy lifestyle. The harm of TV is becoming quite obvious. Today there are more and more people who have completely given up watching it.

Ignoring one of the most powerful media channels is becoming a trend among advanced and thoughtful people. Many who have become committed to the idea of ​​living without TV are freely following the new trend. In order to make a final decision for yourself, you need to determine exactly whether watching TV is harmful, and what benefits this invention can bring to our lives.

Firstly, television takes up a lot of time. Initially, TV viewers enjoyed the programs only when they had a free minute. Nowadays, many people are so passionate about watching various TV series that they are distracted from the notorious box only during the display of advertising blocks. Lack of time for other things is the main danger, confirming that watching TV is harmful from the point of view of spending your leisure time.

The statistics that have emerged from numerous studies are truly terrifying. On average, a city dweller devotes a huge part of his free time to watching TV, which amounts to several hours every day. A closed cycle of work, sleep and watching TV is a very common practice for many people.

It’s worth imagining for a minute that you spend several hours a day in a fitness club, communicating with family and friends. Or maybe you devote all this time to the implementation of some creative idea. Reading books or writing your own work is foreign to you if you are one of the millions of TV junkies.

Secondly, you need to accept that the television industry is designed to make you worse than you really are. Sex, greed and fear are the main levers of influence on the mind of the TV viewer, which are actively used by almost all producers. Movies are full of violence and blood, voluptuous sexual moans are present everywhere, and television shows telling how someone makes millions fascinate thousands of poor dreamers on blue screens.

The TV industry has not yet “killed” a meager handful of truly worthwhile television programs, however, judging by the current trend, they have very little time left to “live.” The vast majority of channels bring only negativity and base emotions into your life, while you could enjoy a taste of a real interesting life.

Thirdly, it is no secret that television reduces mental performance. While watching programs, the human brain is not inclined to look for new solutions to any problems. Creativity and the desire to create are completely replaced by the continuous consumption of a ready-made information product. A person who spends his days absorbing what the television industry presents begins to resemble a mindless plant.

In order to be convinced of this, it is enough to remember what your physical and moral state was after viewing the malicious mailbox for a long time. Your brain is completely sluggish, you are overcome by fatigue and are constantly falling asleep, your thoughts are constantly confused. You become prone to forgetting and decreased ability to think abstractly.

And to get all this, a person does not need to put in special efforts and labor, he does not need to train his brain or body: sit, just watch and listen. Television fully satisfies the information needs of an individual, society, and state, since television disseminates information much faster, more completely, more authentically and richer in emotions than print media or radio.

It has become the norm of life to regularly receive political, economic, cultural, social information in the world through television. It follows from this that the reference points of the broadcasting grid are the information programs of any television company, and all other programs are located in the intervals between news releases.

And the harm of television on an individual’s psyche can be clearly seen precisely after watching the broadcast of news channels. The pursuit of sensational news stories is explained by the goal of increasing ratings, retention and increasing viewer interest, and, of course, the profitability of the broadcasting company. Recognizing this factor, it should be noted that for the biological human body, it is information that deviates from the norm that is important.

Television news broadcasts, knowing this and performing an informative function, do this with a clear desire to broadcast non-normative phenomena from the life of society. This is a worldwide practice. Psychologists sound the alarm about this and argue that it is important for journalists to find the necessary tone for reporting on wars and disasters and, despite the excess of negative information, the news release should not give viewers a mood of hopelessness and depression.

Electromagnetic waves do not pose a real threat to everyone. At risk are:

• pregnant women;
• children;
• people with low immunity;
• suffering from hormonal problems;
• experiencing problems with the endocrine system.

Studies have shown that people who are constantly exposed to electromagnetic fields have an increased risk of developing leukemia. Mental, cardiovascular, vegetative and reproductive pathologies are often recorded.

Most often, harm from watching TV affects the organs of vision. This is due to several factors. Thus, during prolonged sitting in front of the TV, the eye focus is concentrated on one point, which leads to disruption of the lens: the function responsible for the change is reduced.

Screen flickering leads to a sharp change in the size of the pupils and tension in the visual organs, especially if you are relaxing in a dark room. Sharp and frequent changes in shades and colors are dangerous due to eye strain, which provokes headaches.

There are many studies looking at how television affects people. Experts come to the conclusion that regular and prolonged viewing has a negative impact on both the psyche and outlook on life. Thus, many entertainment shows form a variety of stereotypes that are far from the outside world. Discrepancies between the broadcast picture and reality can provoke depression.

Time that viewers could spend communicating with loved ones or exercising is wasted on mind-numbing entertainment programs. The result is problems with socialization, excess weight, and problems with blood vessels. The “wrong” selection of gears is dangerous for the moral degradation of the individual.

Some people doubt whether sleeping with TV is harmful. Quiet humming often helps you fall asleep. But constant sound prevents the brain from fully relaxing and resting. After sleeping while listening to a TV show, a person wakes up exhausted and does not feel invigorated. The unformed child’s psyche suffers the most in such situations.

What danger comes from TV?

A couple of decades ago, it was believed that only radiation from the TV was dangerous. But now the technology has been improved and the latest television chips emit almost no radiation. But what then is the harm of TV for a person?

According to doctors, people who spend up to 2 hours a day in front of TV are less likely to develop heart and vascular diseases compared to those who spend more than 4 hours watching movies and TV shows every day.

Watching TV for a long time increases the risk of developing hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and musculoskeletal diseases. If a person spends a lot of time watching his favorite programs and films, then after a year he may notice a significant decrease in vision.

Ophthalmologists say that irreparable harm is caused to vision from watching TV. It shows up like this:

• If a person looks at the screen, then his vision focuses on just one point. Over time, this leads to deformation of the eye lens. This part of the visual organ may lose the ability to change due to constant static load.
• The screen constantly flickers, which also negatively affects the organs of vision. The pupil does not have time to adapt to the frequent changes in the picture, which leads to severe eye strain.
• On TV, each color is represented in several different shades. This greatly complicates the functioning of the organs of vision and results in chronic eye strain. As a result, vision may decline sharply.

Watching TV for a long time causes musculoskeletal disorders. A person moves little, due to which muscles and joints atrophy.

TV has a huge impact on human health. Due to prolonged viewing, vision deteriorates, muscle tone is impaired and posture worsens. In the presence of concomitant pathologies, osteochondrosis may develop. The joints become immobile, a person often notices a crunch in the legs and arms at the slightest movements.

You need to remember that watching movies for a long time can cause arthritis!

Radiation from plasma TV

In plasma TV models, the liquid crystal layer is replaced with tiny cells filled with an inert gas. The discharge of a powerful power supply generates ultraviolet and visible radiation. Ultraviolet light is blocked by glass, and the visible spectrum gives us the image that we see on the screen.

Electromagnetic radiation from a plasma TV does not have a harmful effect on the viewer. But electronic interference caused by the passage and switching of current can interfere with the operation of radios and remote controls.

The power supply for a 42-inch plasma monitor is 350 W. Therefore, its operation is accompanied by significant heating. Discomfort from thermal radiation is especially great in the summer. Manufacturers are forced to install various types of cooling systems. Therefore, extraneous noise is heard when plasma devices operate. But the transition to fanless cooling is gradually taking place.

Protective filters have appeared on sale that allow you to neutralize the harmful part of electromagnetic radiation from plasma TVs.

Over the many decades of their development, our faithful home friends - television receivers - have undergone significant changes in the principle of operation. If someone's mind is haunted by the question of whether the TV emits radiation, the answer can be confidently given in the negative. Neither older models with picture tubes, nor more modern ones - plasma and LCD TVs - are sources of radioactive radiation.

Prevention and protection from TV radiation

If there is an old CRT device in the house, certain safety measures must be observed. You need to place it as far as possible from the sofa. You are not allowed to sit in close proximity to the equipment. Despite the safety of plasma and LCD TVs, it is also not recommended to watch them at close range - this will help protect your eyes.

Regardless of the type of device, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:

1. Do not spend a lot of time on such entertainment: 3-4 hours a day is enough for an adult, and a maximum of 2 hours for children, excluding time spent at the computer.
2. During your rest you should be in the most comfortable position. The distance from a person to the TV should correspond to the diagonal. For a small device, a distance of 1.2-2.2 meters is suitable. If the diagonal exceeds 32 inches, the required distance is 2.5-5 meters.
3. At least during the commercial break, you need to give your visual organs a chance to relax and change the scenery. If your eyes feel dry after sitting in front of a screen for a long time, it is better to use special moisturizing drops with the effect of natural tears.

Despite the fact that watching TV is a comfortable way of leisure at home, you also need to rest wisely. If you handle the device correctly and follow all safety rules, unpleasant consequences can be easily avoided.

About children

When we try to understand the problem, we find that more than 25 years ago, researchers at Harvard University collected and processed a huge amount of data, coming to the conclusion that there is a relationship between obesity in children and adults and time spent in front of television.

Subsequent studies only confirmed and clarified the conclusions drawn. It turned out that obesity is more common in those children who have a TV in their room in addition to the family one. Additionally, those who develop heavy TV viewing habits during childhood are more likely to become obese in middle age.

A 2010 Canadian study linked increased screen time not only with an increase in body mass index, but also with other important factors in a child's health and well-being.

Scientists analyzed data from 1,314 young residents of Quebec. It is important to note that the study was prospective, that is, the scientists collected data on the number of hours spent in front of television screens by study participants aged 2.5, 4.5 and 10 years, and then compared them with a number of parameters obtained from testing and examination of children At the age of 10.

The average TV viewing time was 8.8 hours per week at the age of 2.5 years, 14.9 hours for a 4.5-year-old child. Every extra hour a child spent in front of a screen at age 2.5 was associated with the following in the same child at age 10:

6% decrease in mathematics mastery; 7% decrease in activity during the lesson; 13% reduction in physical activity time on weekends; 9% reduction in activities requiring physical effort; 10% increase in time spent playing computer games; 9% decrease in general physical condition index; 9% increase in consumption of sugary carbonated drinks; 10% increase in consumption of unhealthy “snacks” such as chips, etc.; 16% reduction in fruit and vegetable consumption; 5% increased risk of being overweight; 10% increase in the risk of child victimization in a children's group.

Similar results were obtained for each extra hour spent watching TV at age 4.5 years (except for the effect on math learning and consumption of fruits, vegetables and sugary drinks).

It’s probably worth repeating again: these changes occurred with the child if he spent not the average 8.8 or 14.9 hours a week in front of the TV, but 9.8 or 15.9, respectively. Thus, if a child aged 2.5 years watched television 11.8 hours a week, then his physical condition index at the age of 10 years was 27% below average, and the consumption of sweet soda increased by 30%, and this is already quite significant .

Although scientists note that among children who watch TV above the statistical norm, more of them are raised in single-parent families, and with lower levels of mothers' education - and these factors can also affect the parameters measured at age 10 - in general, long periods of sitting Watching TV negatively affects the level of physical and moral well-being of children and, in the longer term, contributes to the choice of a less healthy and active lifestyle.

Surprising as it may seem at first glance, scientists have linked television addiction in the early years of life with the subsequent development of asthma in children. In 2009, researchers at the University of Glasgow (UK) published an analysis of data from more than 3,000 children. Among those who watched TV more than 2 hours a day at the age of 3.5 years, there were twice as many people with asthma at the age of 11 years than among those who watched no TV at all or watched in relatively small doses. The findings of British scientists in 2013 were supported by a study by specialists from New Zealand.

Back in the 70s of the last century, scientists suggested that the increase in the number of children with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with a passion for television at an early age.

Rapidly changing sights and sounds are a much stronger sensory stimulus than real life, which moves at a more measured pace, offers. As a result, the child's brain gets used to excessive stimulation and requires it constantly - hence hyperactivity and the inability to concentrate on one subject for any significant period of time.

This hypothesis was confirmed by American pediatrician researcher Dimitri Christakis in 2004, who found that children aged 1 and 3 years, spending 2.2 and 3.6 hours a day in front of the TV, respectively, tend to have serious impairments by the age of 7 years. attention.

We will not talk in detail about studies by psychologists and educators that link viewing of numerous programs and films on TV with increased aggression and tendencies towards violence in children and adolescents, since in a strict sense this goes beyond the scope of the medical column. However, this fact is worth mentioning.

Aimless waste of money

The proven harm of TV: this device acts as a professional “time killer”. Steals a lot of your free time.

Remember for yourself or ask your parents: initially, people watched TV only when they had a free minute. Today, many TV viewers spend hours aimlessly sitting in front of their blue screens, instead of doing something really useful and exciting at the same time - their favorite sport, self-education, a new hobby.

People not only devote their free time to TV. While watching TV series and programs, they forget to do even important things. The results of the surveys terrify even researchers: the vast majority of respondents devote all their free time to TV. That is, they narrow their life to a vicious circle of “work - TV - sleep”. Which is really scary.

Getting out of this circle is relatively simple - start devoting your rest time to something else:

• Communicate with family and friends, search for new acquaintances.
• Realization of your creative idea.
• Introducing to fitness, sports, jogging or simple home exercises and periodic walks in the fresh air.
• Making a list of books and sticking to it.
• Creative activity.

Does TV do more good or harm? The question is rhetorical. But one thing is clear - this device makes you poorer. By forcing you to buy something you don’t need, often and at an inflated price.

Don't think that just turning off ads is enough. You watch films, TV series, shows where the same thing is indirectly imposed. And such influence is even more dangerous than direct calls: “Buy!” You see the image of your favorite hero. You want to be like him - right down to your smartphone, your favorite brands of clothing, perfume, and cosmetics.

“Black Fridays”, continuous promotions, tempting discounts are also ways to force you to buy something that is far from necessary. Or even throw away money on useless things. The harm of TV for children is that it imposes that this or that thing will make the child exceptional and happy. In fact, the joy from a trinket is short-lived. And it only creates a desire to get something new.

Mental health and weight gain

For both adults and children, TV poses a danger in terms of weight gain. Almost all people like to chew something while watching a movie, and it’s not always vegetables or fruits. Most often, a person chooses unhealthy and quite high-calorie foods. These can be crackers, chips, hamburgers and other sandwiches.

In addition, I often drink tea and coffee with pastries while watching a movie. Considering that a person sits for several hours in a row and does not expend any energy at all, such excessive eating of food is harmful. This leads to the deposition of fat deposits, which ultimately lead to excess weight. A sedentary lifestyle leads not only to the appearance of unattractive folds of fat, but also to the exacerbation of various diseases. If a person moves little and walks in the fresh air, then his immunity decreases and he becomes susceptible to various diseases.

Constantly watching television leads to an increase in human body weight. People move little and often eat during movies or programs. Scientists say that in such a state a person is able to eat three times more than usual. Frequent overeating is harmful and leads to obesity.

Spending a long time in front of the TV affects a person’s mental state. The viewer worries about the heroes of the films, is nervous, worried. Various changes occur in the body - narrowing of blood vessels, disruption of blood flow.

After crime programs, thrillers, and horror films, the viewer’s nervous system suffers, sleep is disturbed, and health deteriorates. It is recommended not to watch such programs for a long time and before going to bed.

When regularly watching news, programs and films, a person becomes overly nervous and irritable. This is due to the fact that news and films are literally full of scenes of violence and various criminal showdowns. The channels are filled with various information, both useful and completely unnecessary, and over time a person becomes addicted to watching certain programs.

The blue screen affects the psyche of not only adults, but also children. Many parents turn on cartoons for their infants, and as a result, the soulless screen becomes not only a nanny for the baby, but also a teacher. According to studies, most preschoolers spend more than 4 hours a day in front of screens. The worst thing is that parents are quite happy with this and children find themselves under the influence of an uncontrolled information flow.

A seemingly harmless pastime like watching your favorite cartoons can lead to serious consequences. A child often watches TV too close and too long, which ultimately leads to the following consequences:

• vision decreases, eyes get tired quickly;
• a nervous tic develops, the baby involuntarily blinks his eyes;
• posture deteriorates;
• the psyche is disturbed.

During rapid growth, it is generally not advisable for children to spend more than an hour a day watching cartoons and films. If the baby sits more, the skeleton may not form correctly, which will lead to the development of various pathologies.

If the TV is an old model, then the child may suffer from excessive radiation, which will certainly manifest itself after a while. Such children often suffer from respiratory diseases, suffer from migraines and have problems with the endocrine system. The result of constant radiation can be more serious pathologies, for example, blood diseases.

The influence of TV on the health of an elderly person

When scientists and psychologists study the effects of television viewing on cognition, they often focus on children. But recently, scientists from London decided to focus their attention on older people.

It turned out that watching television “in large doses” can also have a negative impact on older people.

Senile dementia is not just a diagnosis. Its possible prospect is a nightmare and a cause for concern not only for the elderly, but also for middle-aged people.

The hypothesis about the connection between the development of dementia due to excessive television viewing was first put forward 25 years ago. But it was not yet sufficiently supported by research. And so far there have been no recommendations on viewing volume for older people.

Scientists from the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health at University College London conducted research on more than 3.5 thousand people over 50 years old (average age - 67, youngest - 55, age - 90). Researchers recorded how much time people spent watching television each day. Six years later, scientists analyzed the cognitive abilities of the subjects. Those people who sat in front of the box for more than 3.5 hours every day had much greater problems with memory and attention than their peers who preferred other types of leisure activities. In particular, those who “abused” television experienced decreased vocabulary and speech fluency.

According to scientists, this result is due to the fact that television forces us to perceive a rapidly changing picture, but does not stimulate us to analyze it. Perhaps the cognitive function of television is also significant: there are a lot of educational programs and TV channels. But older people prefer to watch either TV series or talk shows, where the same problems are discussed many times and analysis of the situation is not always required. Television is always a passive perception of information .

During the study, they also tried to clarify what is more harmful: the very fact of watching programs in large quantities or the fact that while watching a person is motionless and every now and then he wants to have a snack or drink a bottle of beer. As a result, we came to the conclusion that additional risk factors do not affect the development of dementia. They can lead to obesity or alcoholism, but not to dementia.

What’s interesting is that using the Internet, according to research, does not lead to cognitive decline and may even help reduce the risk of dementia.

Another mechanism by which television may be linked to memory loss is stress. The content of films and programs often keeps the viewer in suspense or contains scenes of violence. A state of chronic stress increases the level of glucocorticoids in the blood, the excess of which has a negative effect on the area of ​​​​the brain responsible for cognition.

In addition, the negative impact of television may be due to the fact that the time spent on it displaces other types of activities from the subjects’ leisure time that have a positive effect on cognitive functions, such as board games, reading, visiting theaters, exhibitions, and so on.

Of course, watching television as a pastime has its advantages. For many TV viewers, this is a way to escape difficult family circumstances or feelings of loneliness. An opportunity to switch gears during depression or relax after a hard day. However, you need to control the amount of time spent watching television.

Outside the scope of the study, questions remained about whether uncontrolled consumption of high-calorie food while watching television could affect the decline of cognitive abilities. It has also not yet been possible to find out whether cognitive programs can prevent dementia or whether they, like other forms of TV viewing, do not contribute to the development of cognitive activity.

The study did not touch upon the influence of programs on the contingent of nursing homes, among whom watching programs is very popular, but who rarely choose this method of leisure on their own - the staff does this for them. And it has not yet been possible to determine the effect of watching programs on the progression of dementia in patients who have already been diagnosed. Perhaps other researchers will take on this in the future.

As a result, scientists recommended that older people not watch TV more than 3.5 hours a day. To control your time spent watching TV, let's remember what the generation that discovered the first models of television receivers said: “Give the TV a rest!” – and we will follow their advice.

Those who are afraid of the prospect of dementia should pay attention to such leisure activities as board games. A great variety of them have recently appeared on sale. Children simply adore them, and playing board games is another reason to spend time with your grandchildren. Well, classic dominoes and “toss-up” with neighbors in the yard have not been canceled either.

Doctors also highly recommend solving crosswords and puzzles to maintain cognitive abilities. In addition to passive relaxation, if health allows, it is very important to engage in various types of activities: this could be Nordic walking, wushu, or dancing. In the capital, for example, the Moscow Longevity program allows any pensioner to find something to do to their liking. Life is much more interesting when you don't look at it through a TV screen.

Moral decay

Another proven harm of television: mass culture is not aimed at developing and educating people. Its goal is to make us worse than we really are.

Think about what is cultivated in popular TV shows, series and advertising? Greed, fear, sex - these are the main levers that the producers of these projects put pressure on.

It’s rare that a film can manage without the cultivation of violence (and, what’s worse, its approval). Successful heroines are mostly sexy beauties with model appearance. And the happy people on screen are fabulously rich, with endless possibilities. All this together creates a false picture of the world among TV viewers.

At the same time, there are catastrophically few worthwhile films and television programs that encourage children and adults to think about what is important, to realize themselves, and to become better. Unfortunately, negativity and base emotions are the most popular “product” on TV. And not a representation of a real happy life, which is available to each of us without “secrets of success” and “new products of the season.”

Lack of critical perception

The main mistake of avid TV viewers is to mindlessly absorb what is served from the TV. Many people stop critically evaluating this information and passing it through their own views and system of life values. The method of obtaining it is also of great importance here - the viewer does not have the opportunity to discuss with the author of the idea, object to him, or ask for evidence.

And all this leads to the fact that a person ultimately ceases to distinguish real data from fake data, moral from immoral. And he begins to accept everything said on the screen as the final truth. And the harm from TV and computers is terribly enormous.

To make sure the above is true, remember how you feel after watching television for a long time. You invariably feel tired and sleepy. The brain refuses to work clearly, thoughts are confused. You are unable to rethink the information received. Moreover, you remember only a small part of what you heard/saw.

Negative influence of TV

Before you decide to stop watching, you should find out why watching TV is harmful for a person. We often hear about some kind of harm, but without reasoning; when talking about harm, we will operate with facts, without water.

First of all, it is worth asking about the negative impact regarding vision. If you spend more than one or two hours a day watching TV, the risk that your vision will deteriorate over time rises to 75%. To avoid this effect, we recommend limiting the time spent watching TV.

The harmfulness of television to humans also lies in its effect on the psyche. Violence and various negative news are always broadcast in prime time. The consequence of watching such stories can be irritability, and it can even develop neuroses in people prone to this.

Fear, greed and sex are the main levers influencing the mind of the TV viewer; almost all producers actively use them. TV is mesmerizing. The announcers speak in a clear and confident voice, and their arguments seem to be well founded.

The influence of television on humans:

watching TV shows, series.

Nowadays, programs in which the dirty laundry of famous and not so famous people are shaken up are all the rage. If you are a fan of such programs, then watch yourself: why are you watching them? How do you feel watching it?

Often people watch such programs, again, in order to hide from their inner emptiness, just not to notice it.

When a person looks at suffering or some events in the lives of other people, the thought often arises: well, I will never act so lowly!

There is a strong confidence in one’s infallibility. And for some time there may be an inner uplift and a state of joy from the awareness of one’s “correctness”.

The same goes for watching TV series. Try to understand why you are running away from yourself? Why, instead of living your life and your feelings, do you resort to a television surrogate? Why are you so fascinated by the life of the original characters of TV series?

Negative influence of TV

We continue the conversation about the benefits and harms of computers and TV. Remember: what you see on the screen is often a source of negativity, spoiled mood and even stress and depression. After all, it often happened that you turned on the TV in a great mood. And then there is news about terrorist attacks, armed conflicts, brutal murders. It is difficult to perceive such information detachedly. And now there is nothing left of the previously good mood.

Heroes of your favorite films and TV series add fuel to the fire. An impressionable viewer sometimes worries about their relationships, ups and downs, as if they were their own. For many, the death of a hero becomes a personal tragedy.

Of course, empathy is a wonderful feeling. But the problem with spending time on television is that it distances you from your loved ones. You begin to worry about the relationships of the characters in the series more than your own; their problems become closer to you than your family members. You are looking forward to the new episode, but you forget to ask your friend how he spent his vacation, what is the state of health of your parents, what made your child happy today.

The influence of television on humans:

According to statistics, a third of advertising belongs to the pharmaceutical industry.

From TV you constantly hear that your immune system is not able to cope with colds, runny nose, and other diseases on its own. That he constantly needs support with chemicals.

Did you know that our bodies are like powerful computers and are capable of rapid recovery on their own?

Illness is signals from the soul about what is needed in the psyche for healing, these are direct clues.

Medicines, of course, can be used, but not as the main remedy, but as an auxiliary one, for faster recovery of the body.

Or in the case of a serious illness, when it is no longer possible to stop taking medications, but, again, it is important to see the true cause of the disease.

If you do not work with the true reason, then the so-called “Groundhog Day” occurs in your life.

You can treat the same disease endlessly, perhaps you will even cure it, but if you do not work with psychosomatics, then the disease, if cured from one disease, will manifest itself in a different form.

Everything is in our hands and everyone is given their strength. If there is a disease, then you can cope with it in some way by realizing what your body is signaling.