Suggate, Sebastian P orcid.org/0000-0002-7755-068X and Martzog, Philipp (2020) Screen-time influences children's mental imagery performance. Developmental Science. e12978. ISSN 1363-755X
Abstract
Mental imagery is a foundational human faculty that depends on active image construction and sensorimotor experiences. However, children now spend a significant proportion of their day engaged with screen-media, which (a) provide them with ready-made mental images, and (b) constitute a sensory narrowing whereby input is typically focused on the visual and auditory modalities. Accordingly, we test the idea that screen-time influences the development of children's mental imagery with a focus on mental image generation and inspection from the visual and haptic domains. In a longitudinal cross-lagged panel design, children (n = 266) aged between 3 and 9 years were tested at two points in time, 10 months apart. Measures of screen-time and mental imagery were employed, alongside a host of control variables including working memory, vocabulary, demographics, device ownership, and age of exposure to screen-media. Findings indicate a statistically significant path from screen-time at time 1 to mental imagery at time 2, above and beyond the influence of the control variables. These unique findings are discussed in terms of the influence of screen-time on mental imagery.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2020 The Authors |
Keywords: | Child,Humans,Imagination,Infant,Memory, Short-Term,Vocabulary |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Social Sciences (York) > Education (York) |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 12 Aug 2022 10:40 |
Last Modified: | 16 Oct 2024 18:40 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12978 |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1111/desc.12978 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:189955 |
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Filename: Developmental_Science_2020_Suggate_Screen_time_influences_children_s_mental_imagery_performance.pdf
Description: Screen-time influences children's mental imagery performance
Licence: CC-BY-NC-ND 2.5