PSYCH 167 UCLA Interview Child Media Usage Essay In order to learn more about current media use in real life, you will be asked to investigate a child’s media use and practices. You can choose the age group you are interested in and the kind of media use. For example, if you are interested in toddlers, you can watch how they play with an app and ask questions, or let them watch a TV show and interview them afterwards as to what they understood. Another example is you can interview adolescents about social media or video games. These are just examples and you are free to come up with something that interests you – age,etc. The goal of the interview is to listen with an open mind, observe and try to understand from a developmental perspective how the person you are interviewing interacts with media. I greatly prefer a child under the age of 18, but if you have no access to a child that young, then you may interview a child up to the age of 20. With COVID, we understand if may be harder to connect with a child; if you are at home with a younger sibling or relative, you are welcome to interview them. You can also do the interview over Zoom. Longer than 4 pages will not be accepted. A strong paper will link what you learn to developmental tasks – such as language learning, identity development, etc.
Resources for the assignment
●How to write an interview essay.
https://www.brighthubeducation.com/help-with-writi… Here are links to how to write an interview essay and how to conduct the interviews(MUST READ)
http://pages.ucsd.edu/~dkjordan/resources/Intervie…
Organize your interview to answer the following questions:
○How do you and your family interact with media/technology?
○How do you and your friends interact with media/technology?
○What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?
○What do you use media for?
○How are you using media during the COVID-19 pandemic?
○What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/ play/ interact with to know?
Down below i have attached 3 completed essays that you may use as templates and a rubric that MUST be followed!
NOT FOLLOW DIRECTIONS COMPLETELY WILL RESULT IN A WITHDRAWAL!! Interview Essay Example
“Mommy can I have Moana?” asked my 4-year-old niece, Alana. She refers to the phone,
or YouTube, as “Moana” because that was the first movie she saw on a digital device. Alana’s
parents only allow her to use a digital device after dinner and for a short period of time and they
try to mediate what she watches by only allowing her to use “YouTube kids”, which censors
videos that are considered appropriate based on the age of the child. While sitting with Alana
when she was watching YouTube, she asked me to put “Cinderella Lego set”. While watching
the Lego video, I saw Alana reach for her own Legos and begin to explore and play with it just
like the little girl in the video. I asked her, “Why do you like watching videos of the toys you
have?” she then replied that she likes watching videos of her toys so that she can learn of
different ways to play with them. I then learned that Alana utilizes YouTube as a means to
educate herself on how to properly use her toys creatively. Through my interview, I attempted to
analyze the transfer deficit effect of Alana’s media use and real-life connections and how she
used digital media as an educational tool to learn how to play and learn new concepts
Transfer-Deficit
According to lecture, the transfer deficit effect claims that children are unable to “transfer
learning from TV and touchscreens to real world objects” (Uhls, 2019). When playing with the
LEGO set Alana would follow along with the YouTube video and use it as a tutorial to help her
with the difficult pieces she could not connect. Therefore, although Alana was watching a video
of LEGO’s, she would be unable to make the same movements or set the pieces together in real
life like in the video. However, to my amazement Alana was able to follow the video and place
the Lego pieces in positions exactly like in the video. Once Alana was done completing her
LEGO piece, she then moved on to say, “I want to do it all by myself” and destroyed her LEGO
set and did it again based on memory. If she had trouble, she would refer back to the video and
even forward or go backwards to the exact part she needed help with. The little girl in the video
also found ways to tweak her LEGO and make it different. In doing so, it allowed Alana to have
a different perspective and approach to the toy. Something she may have not done so on her own.
Thus, not only did Alana receive assistance in completing a challenging LEGO set for her age
group, but she was given another creative set of eyes that offered her a different perspective to
approaching toys.
Viewing digital devices as a developmental tool
Play is essential for the development of 4-year-old children. Being the only child in a
home filled with adults, it is important for Alana to have interactions with children her age.
However, due to her parents working full time and going to school full time, it is not always
possible to have play dates. I asked Alana what her favorite thing was about using “Moana”. She
claimed, “I like watching other kids play”. Alana was able to utilize YouTube as a social tool to
see how other children her age interact and play by mimicking their type of play, she would learn
from these children and steal their creative lens. Another video I witnessed Alana watch was one
that discussed difference in sizes from “big, bigger, and biggest”. It would ask for feedback on
which one was the biggest one. When asked, she would point at her choice selection and look at
me for feedback. As stated in lecture, the three C’s “child, context and content” are important to
ensure the child is receiving positive benefits from media use. By watching videos that deal with
size comparison, Alana is learning in a fun way, almost accidentally. She can learn many things
on YouTube such as songs, colors, size comparisons, ABC’s and even numbers. While seeing
the LEGO’s video, an ABC song was playing in the background that Alana would sing along
too. In addition, the LEGO’s were always referred to by their color. Alana’s mother also
reassured me that she loves to listen to music that she feels helps her learn, such as “the five little
ducks” which taught her how to first count. According to her mom, Alana hates being taught to
count or locate the correct letter whenever asked to use flash cards or another learning tool.
However, she has found that educational videos have made it easy. Alana does not even realize
herself that she is doing incidental learning. I can see that the colors and music can make it
amusing and intrigue a child, unlike boring flashcards. It is also more beneficial if it is interactive
for the childlike in the size comparison video that asked her questions after. In addition, in
having an adult interact with Alana whenever she is using a digital device fosters good context.
Reassuring Alana that she is correct allows her to build confidence and let her know she is right.
If she had been incorrect, I would have guided her to the correct answer, which her mother
would as well.
Parental Mediation
Having young parents who are educated and are cautious of the development of their
child, Alana’s parents heavily mediate her media use. As stated earlier, she is only allowed to use
the phone or tablet after dinner. Alana’s father also only allows her to use it if she cleans up after
herself and is behaving. Therefore, utilizing digital devices as a reward. Although Alana loves
watching videos, she only lasted 20 minutes on the phone before she got bored and said,
“mommy I don’t want the phone anymore can we play trouble”. I found this shocking because I
thought it would be challenging for her parents to take away the phone, however, she gave it up
herself. Alana’s mother let me know that in an effort to make sure she does not become addicted
to the phone, they buy board games to keep her entertained. They even managed to teach her
how to play UNO at four years old. Whenever she does want to see a movie, they decide on one
and watch it as a family as to ensure that she feels involved and not left out as an only child.
However, her parents welcome digital devices in their home as her mother states, “I feel it is
important for her to know how to use digital devices at a young age to ensure that she is learning
at the same rate as her peers. Kids know how to use the computer at such a young age now, that
it is important for her to keep up to date with technology”. However, her mother believes that
censoring negative videos or videos that are not relevant to her educational trajectory is
important. Thus, she checks the history of the videos Alana has seen and blocks anything she
refers to as “pointless”.
Conclusion
At a young age, Alana was able to prove the transfer deficit incorrect as she used digital
media as a tool to overcome challenges she faced with her toys in the real world. In watching
these videos, she was able to expand her imagination by learning new ways to play. In addition,
she used YouTube as a means to learn various concepts in an entertaining manner. This came as
a surprise to me as I always viewed kids with phones in a negative way. I believed phones were
used as a device to distract the child or keep them busy while their parents were busy with other
things. However, if used under the correct context and which educational content, it can be
positive and beneficial to the child’s development.
References
Uhls, Y.T. (2007). Lecture 3: Early Childhood (0-4) Key Issues: Facetime versus screen time
[PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from University of California Los Angeles Psychology
167.
Uhls, Y.T. (2007). Lecture 4: Early Childhood (0-4) Key Issues: Content Choices [PowerPoint
slides]. Retrieved from University of California Los Angeles Psychology 167.
Assignment 1: Media use and attitudes
At the youthful age of eleven, Florino Spadavecchia appears to have mature attitudes and habits
towards media. Children of this age group have been born into a digital age. Significant changes, such as
the transition to middle school, as well as other developmental markers, suggest important implications
for children’s media use. In interviewing Florino, my interest was twofold. Firstly, I sought to understand
his personal media preferences and habits. Secondly, I wished to examine media use in the home and
school environments, perceive his feelings towards their integration, and evaluate how these factors
contribute to his attitudes and behaviors. Florino demonstrates a healthy balance between digital media
use and other activities and holds a positive attitude towards restricted media use. These factors point
towards Florino’s development of media literacy, as well as his adoption of favorable habits, as is
modeled in his school and home environments.
The 3 C’s
In evaluating media use, it is important to gain adequate understand of the 3 C’s: the child – his
individual needs, development and media use – the content he is exposed to, and the context in which the
child is using technology: when, where and how. I began by asking Florino what devices he owns and
what he uses each of them for. He explained that he owns an iPad, which he got at 10 years old, and a
Nintendo Switch, gifted to him last Christmas; Florino later clarifies that the iPad is in fact not his own,
but a family device. Florino likes to play games such as Roblox, and watch YouTube on the family iPad,
mostly of Fortnite gaming videos. Interestingly, in a follow up question, he revealed that he only
occasionally likes to play Fortnite himself. I found this to be an interesting revelation about the content
that interests children of this age group and the new ways in which they utilize media. Upon researching
Roblox, I learned that it is a popular, online multiplayer gaming platform, with games ranging from
navigating obstacle courses, role-play games, shooting games, as well as the opportunity for players to
create their own “worlds”. Thus, I would categorize Roblox as a complex and social game. Research on
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such video games has revealed positive cognitive effects such as faster and more accurate attention
calibration and enhanced mental rotation abilities (Green & Bavelier, 2012).
Flornio’s favorite kind of media to use is the iPad “because it’s more portable so I can play it
more comfortably”, he explains. In a follow up, Florino clarifies that, while on weekdays he enjoyed
playing on it during his free time, on weekends he prefers playing games in the backyard with his 3-yearold sister who shares his enjoyment of sports. When asking him to compare his own media use to that of
his friends Florino explained “They use it more, some less, but I would say about 80% of my friends have
phones…I’m fine without it, but I want to get one before I start middle school next year”. Although
Florino does not own a phone, a rarity in the context of his social setting, his attitude and social
interactions appear to be unaffected by this.
Home and school environment
A clearer understanding of Florino’s home and school environment provided insight on the
factors influencing his attitudes towards media. When asked about his classroom environment, Florino
explained that classroom computers are used to “type up stuff”, or to use BrainPop: an educational site
with animated movies, quizzes and materials for different subject areas. When teachers have been
adequately trained in how to use devices in the classroom, the use of media can be an effective
educational tool. I was interested to learn how Florino feels about the integration of technology in the
classroom, to which he responded, “I like to use computers to type up reports because it’s harder to do it
by hand when it’s a long report”. This points to a recurring theme in Florino’s attitudes towards
technology: just as he enjoys using the iPad for its portability and ease, he also prefers the use of a
computer in writing tasks for its efficiency. However, he expresses an indifference to these types of
classroom activities, explaining that he does not enjoy them more or less than other activities.
Next, I inquired about Florino’s home environment and the media rules enforced by his parents.
He explained that one rule in his household is that the family computer is only to be used for homework;
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another rule is that he may only use the Nintendo Switch for an hour and that he must tell his parents
when using it, and finally, that the iPad is to be used mostly on weekdays and is limited on weekends.
Florino appears satisfied with these rules as he shows more interest in other activities. He explains that
on weekends he usually spends time with friends doing other activities such as playing sports, building
Lego or forts out of sticks, or going to football games together. When asked in a follow up how these
rules are enforced, Florino did not know the answer as he has never broken the rules and has no difficulty
adhering to them.
The rules described above evidence one form of monitoring practices enforced by Florino’s parents.
Another example is the family’s co-use and co-viewing habits. Interested in learning more about Florino’s
media interaction with his parents, I inquired about their joint activities. He revealed that sometimes he
engages in co-playing videogames such as Mario Cart with his dad. The practices described above,
including rule setting and joint media engagement, point towards the active mediation style of parenting
enforced by Florino’s parents. Active mediation is defined as parental participation in children’s media
experiences. Studies have shown active mediation to be the most effective form of parental mediation in
teaching children responsible consumption of media (Uhls, Robb, 2017). Recommendations about the
best practices also emphasize the importance of role modeling good media use to children. Findings have
shown that children’s TV viewing is highly correlated with parental TV viewing (Bleakly et al., 2013).
Thus, Florino’s home environment, including his parents’ active mediation and co-viewing practices,
appear to play an instrumental role in shaping his healthy attitude towards media use.
Florino’s current media use and attitudes point towards healthy future interactions with digital media.
His balanced daily routine encourages on and offscreen social and educational interactions. These habits
are reinforced by the efficient use of media in his classroom environment. Another source of influence is
Florino’s home environment. Effective monitoring practices enforced by his parents, and adherence to
recommendations made by researchers suggest Florino’s continued future development of media literacy
and responsible habits towards media consumption.
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References
Bleakley, A., Jordan, A. B., & Hennessy, M. (2013). The relationship between parents’ and childrens’
television viewing. Pediatrics, 132, 364-371.
Green, C S and D Bavelier. “Learning, attentional control, and action video games” Current biology:
CB vol. 22,6 (2012): R197-206.
Yalda T. Uhls, Michael B. Robb. “How Parents Mediate Children’s Media Consumption.” Fran C.
Bloomberg, Patricia J. Brooks. Cognitive Development In Digital Contexts . Elsevier Inc. , 2017.
325-340.
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Christina Petrosyan is a 16 year old sophomore high school student whose favorite media
device is her iPhone which gives her access to the social media platforms that she is a member
of, the internet, and YouTube. Christina stated that she rarely watches a fictional show or movie,
because she prefers to watch videos from YouTube stars. During our one hour interview
Christina looked at her phone 22 times. Christina confirmed that most teenagers have at least one
social media account, and many teenagers have multiple accounts. Popular social media
platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. Christina believes that social
media increases the peer pressure that teenagers are already feeling, because they feel that their
whole lives are available for examination. Teenagers are using social media to perform typical
developmental tasks, such as “identity development and socializing with peers” (Uhls, 2015, p.
101). Social media is popular among teenagers, because it facilitates basic human needs, such as
the need to belong to social groups, the need to be popular, and the need to share information
about ourselves (Uhls, 2015, p. 101). I interviewed Christina Petrosyan to learn what types of
media she uses and the impact that media has on her psychological and social development.
Measuring Popularity with Social Media Likes
Christina revealed that for teenagers the goal of social media posts is to garner as many
likes as possible and to have as many followers as possible. Christina said, “I am always
checking Instagram to see how many likes my posts are getting” (personal communication,
January 27, 2019). The likes, comments, and view tallies on social media and YouTube are
extrinsic rewards that tell teenagers that others are viewing and recognizing what they are doing
(Uhls, 2015, p. 110). Teenagers have an overwhelming desire to be popular. In fact Christina
stated that some of her peers are wondering if they should be focusing on their YouTube
channels instead of going to college. Social media offers a way of quantifying popularity by
MEDIA AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT IN TEENAGERS
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showing everyone who has the most followers and the most likes on their posts. The most
popular people on social media are at the top of the social hierarchy, because social media
popularity is valued by teenagers. These popular teenagers are influencing the identity
development of their peer group by influencing their attitudes and beliefs about important topics
such as what it means to be successful in life. For instance, Christina said that she feels that
underage drinking is “no big deal, because all my friends are doing it” (personal communication,
January 27, 2019). When teenagers emulate each other’s behavior in order to gain approval and
acceptance into the group, it is known as peer contagion (Uhls, 2015, p. 109). For example,
teenagers are posting videos of bad behavior, such as eating Tide Pods, for shock value and
attention. This bad behavior is being copied by the teenagers who admire the popular teenagers.
Social Comparison
Teenagers use social media posts to get feedback about their decisions and even feelings.
For example, Christina often posts about clothes that she likes, if the feedback from her peers is
negative she does not buy that item. Christina said, “When I feel kind of depressed or stressed
because of school, I wanna know if my friends are feeling the same way. So I post about it, then
I read the comments” (personal communication, January 27, 2019). It is clear that Christina is
engaging in social comparison, which is when “we compare ourselves with others in order to
better understand our own attitudes and actions” (Uhls, 2015, p. 106). We often compare
ourselves to others because our perspective is limited and subjective, especially for teenagers
who do not have a lot of life experience. This is why Christina said that she and other teenagers
frequently post about their feelings and their planned activities in order to determine if their
attitudes and activities are socially acceptable and popular. Christina also compares her life to
the lives of the YouTube stars, such as Brooklyn and Bailey, who are teenagers like her.
MEDIA AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT IN TEENAGERS
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Christina’s decisions about her makeup, clothing, exercise, diets and more are all influenced by
her peer groups on social media and by teenagers who are YouTube stars.
Benefits of Social Media
Teenagers use social media to form groups, manage relationships with other people, and
network with a larger g…
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