Home > Encyclopedia of Children's Health > Television Habits

Definition

Television habits consist of patterns of behavior determined by the amount of time and importance individuals give to watching television broadcasts and recorded videos and DVDs.

Description

Ever since the 1ate 1940s when television first became available, social scientists have been interested in its effect on behavior. Originally seen as entertainment for adults and older children, television in the twenty-first century is watched by all age groups, including infants. More than 98 percent of homes in the United States have at least one television set. Many have more. One study found that 32 percent of children ages two to seven had television sets in their bedroom. This number increased to 65 percent for children ages eight to 18.

Although television can be an educational...