Attempting to break the fourth wall: Young children's action errors with screen media. Issue 4 (1st August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rosengren, Karl S.; Kirkorian, Heather; Choi, Koeun; Jiang, Matthew J.; Raimer, Chantel; Tolkin, Emma; Sartin‐Tarm, Anneliis
• Is Part Of: Human behavior and emerging technologies. Volume 3:Issue 4(2021)
• Page Start: 468
• Page End: 483
• Publication Date: 2021-08-01
• Subjects: action errors -- diary -- human cognition -- human development -- representational insight -- screen media -- survey -- symbols -- television -- touchscreen -- video chat; Human behavior -- Periodicals; Technological innovations -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Human-computer interaction -- Periodicals; 303.48305
• DOI: 10.1002/hbe2.273
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2578-1863

Abstract

Abstract: Young children sometimes perform actions not afforded by the environmental context that they are currently in. Anecdotal reports and past research have suggested that young children sometimes attempt to perform actions with screen media that they cannot perform successfully given the constraints of the media. These behaviors have been defined as a type of action error we refer to as media errors . We report on two studies that examined the nature and frequency of these behaviors in young children. Study 1 was an online retrospective survey of 292 caregivers' reports of their young children's (ages 8 months to 4 years) media errors. Study 2 was a 6‐month prospective study of 45 families with children initially between the ages of 10 and 24 months. Across the two studies, a substantial portion of caregivers reported that their children had performed one or more media errors that were confirmed by experienced coders (30% in Study 1, 62% in Study 2). In both studies, the only tested factor that was reliably related to the frequency of media errors was the child's age. Media errors were found to peak in late infancy and decrease significantly with age thereafter, suggesting that as children age and gain more experience with screen media they come to understand what this type of media affords for action. Abstract : Two studies examined parental reports of young children's media errors, attempted actions with screen media that cannot be performed successfully given the constraints of the media (e.g., attempts to grasp an object on a screen). Media errors were found to peak in late infancy and decrease significantly with age thereafter, suggesting that as children age and gain more experience with screen media they come to understand what this type of media affords for action.