Does Viewing Television Affect the

Academic Performance of Children?

1.
2.

Wataru Kureishi and

Keiko Yoshida*
+ Author Affiliations

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1.

2.

We thank Shinya Kajitani, Daiji Kawaguchi, Tomoko Kishi, Colin McKenzie, Naoki Mitani,
Noriko Mizutani, Yoko Morita, Midori Wakabayashi, and the seminar participants at a
Kansai Labor Economics Seminar for their helpful comments and discussions. We would
like to thank the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (RENGO) Research Institute for
Advancement of Living Standards and the Information Center for Social Science
Research on Japan, Institute of Social Science, University of Tokyo (SSJ Data Archive), for
providing us with data from the The Questionnaire Surveys on the Lives of Elementary
School Pupils and Lower Secondary School Students, 1995.
Wataru Kureishi is a Senior Researcher in the National Institute of Population and Social Security
Research, Tokyo, Japan. His research interests include family economics, savings and consumption, and social
security. His recent publications include Son Preference in Japan with M. Wakabayashi in Journal of
Population Economics (2011) and Why Do the First-born Children Live with Their Parents with M.
Wakabayashi in Japan and World Economy (2010). He can be reached by e-mail
at wataru.kureishi@gmail.com.
Keiko Yoshida is a Associate Professor in the faculty of economics at Momoyama Gakuin University,
Osaka, Japan. Her research interests are education economics and labour economics. The corresponding
author Professor Yoshida can be reached by e-mail atkyoshida@andrew.ac.jp
*

Abstract
The objective of this paper is to measure the effect of childrens television viewing on
their performance in school. To this end, we use Japanese time use data to estimate
ordered probit models with and without an instrumental variable. The instrumental
variable is the number of viewable commercial broadcast channels in the prefecture
where a child and his/her family live. We find that, all else being equal, the more
television a child views, the more likely it is for the childs mother to report negative
performance of her child in school. However, our instrumental variable estimates
provide no evidence that television viewing by children affects either the mothers
report of the performance of her child or the childs self-report on the speed of lessons
in school. This study provides no evidence that television viewing has a negative impact
on childrens performance in school, although we should not overlook the possibility of
weak instruments.

The Impact of Television Viewing On the Academic

Achievements of Students between Upper and Lower
Socio-Economic Level in Karachi
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Ghulam Mustafa Khan

(gmkhan92@yahoo.com)

(Hamdard Institute of Education and Social Sciences, Hamdard University Karachi.)

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Abstract
The main aim of this study is to determine the impact of television viewing on the
academic achievements of school going age children. More specifically, the study
addressed an intensive survey to determine the impact of leisure time television on the
academic achievements of 5th class students. Literature review: After a brief overview
of some of the related research studies the ground realities and problems prevails in
Pakistani Society regarding children grow up spending much of their free time watching
television. Their childhood and life are shaped by the television. Methods: The research
strategy adopted for the study was Causal-Comparative Research, also known as ex
Post-Facto Research. The population of the study was consisted of all the school going
age children who had passed the annual examination of class V and currently studying
in class VI in schools of five districts of Karachi both television viewers and non-viewers.
The data was analyzed through descriptive statistical techniques and techniques of
statistical inference. Conclusion: The research revealed that the impact of television has
been instant and profound. The study explored the major influence of television and
relationship between children relative amount, nature, and extent of television viewing
and their academic achievement in the schools in Karachi, Pakistan. Specifically, there
were two main purposes of the study (1) To conduct and intensive survey to determine
the impact (2) To make recommendations for the improvement Suggestion: In fact,
there is still need of more training in the strategic management of television viewing so
that children can play their role more effectively to the nation.

Does TV Viewing Affect Academic Performance?

Robert A. Dershewitz, MD, MSc reviewing Borzekowski DL and Robinson TN. Arch Pediatr
Adolesc Med 2005 Jul. Hancox RJ et al. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2005 Jul. Zimmerman FJ
and Christakis DA. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2005 Jul. Chernin AR and Linebarger DL. Arch
Pediatr Adolesc Med 2005 Jul.
What is the effect of television viewing on childrens cognitive development? In three new
studies, researchers explore this question.
In the first study, California researchers surveyed a diverse group of 410 third graders and their
parents. Students with TVs in their bedrooms had significantly lower standardized test scores
than did children without bedroom TVs. Students with access to home computers scored
significantly higher than those without home computer access. Children who lost or gained use of
home computers or bedroom TVs during the academic year exhibited significant differences from
baseline in their test scores at the end of the academic year.
In the second study, researchers in New Zealand followed an unselected group of 1000 children
from birth. Increased time spent viewing TV in childhood and adolescence was associated
significantly with lower academic attainment by age 26. Results were independent of
socioeconomic status and intelligence test scores.
In the third study, researchers found a negative association between TV viewing before age 3 and
achievement test scores at age 6 or 7, but a positive association between TV viewing at ages 3 to
5 years and achievement scores at age 6 or 7. The authors state that these results support the
American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation that children younger than 2 should not watch
TV.

Television Viewing and Academic

Achievement Revisited
By Thompson, Franklin T.; Austin, William P.

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Article excerpt
Introduction:
Given the central role popular media plays in the lives of our children, it is important to have an
understanding of the impact television viewing has on academic achievement and school

performance. Parents and teachers alike ask the question of how much television viewing is too
much. Few people would argue that an investigation of children's TV viewing habits could help
parents better understand how youth occupy their free time. In addition, there has been growing
concern over the relationship between the media and rising violence and other antisocial
behaviors among youth.
The relationships between TV viewing and academic achievement, age, home environment, and
other variables are complex, multidimensional, and inconclusive (Bachen, et al., 1982; Beentjes
& Van der Voort, 1988; Broome & Fuller, 1993; Razel, 2001). The purpose of this paper is to
provide readers with a summary of the literature from the last 25 years regarding the impact of
television viewing on student achievement and necessary behaviors for school success. Although
the general picture from research is somewhat muddled, an initial understanding of the question
can be achieved, nonetheless. It is hoped that this review of literature will provide a basis to
implement sound educational policy and family practice.

A Summary of Television Effects Research:

More than half of U.S. students watch more than three hours of television per
day on weekdays, and 60% of parents rarely or never limit their child's
television viewing habits (Levine & Levine, 1996). The average television
weekly viewing time is approximately 27 hours per week, while the average
reading time is 8.1; a 3 to 1 ratio (Angle, 1981). Studies (Levine & Levine,
1996; Wells & Blendinger, 1997) support the finding that children watch too
much TV and read too little. It has been argued that a negative side effect of
high levels of viewing might include the promotion of "unintelligent
consumerism" and a physically and intellectually passive dependency among
our youth (Levine & Levine, 1996).
Viewing habits typically increases throughout elementary school years, and
decreases during high school years. The years right before and after
adolescence are the most opportune times to shape TV viewing habits (Clark,
et al., 1978). Individuals in lower income brackets and with lower
educational levels watch more television (Housden, 1991; Mediamark
Research Inc, 1996). Adolescents who view television during late night hours
average more television viewing than do other adolescents (Potter, 1987).
African American youth tend to watch more TV than their white counterparts
(Caldas & Bankston, 1999). Teens who are in the lowest per week viewing
category are more likely to continue their education by enrolling in college
(Corporation for Public Broadcast, 1993).

Some of the studies reviewed found no significant relationship at all

(Gortmaker, Salter, Walker & Dietz, 1990b; Hagborg, 1995; Shastri &
Mohite, 1997). A few studies (Felter, 1984; Kohr, 1979) uncovered a large
and significant negative relationship, while most others (Angle, 1981; Clark,
et al., 1978; Cooper & Valentine, 1999; Dornsbusch, 1986; Gorman & Yu,
1990; Patrick, 1991; Tymms, 1997) found smaller, yet significant negative
relationships. Naturally, parents' failure to provide guidelines for television
viewing has a lot to do with the attitudes and values of today's children
(Clark, et al., 1978; Levine & Levine, 1996; Sharman, 1979).
Patrick (1991) discovered that higher school social studies achievement is
associated with "limited television viewing". Felter (1984) reported that
achievement scores in reading, math, and written expression were "sharply
lower" among students who viewed more than six hours of television per day.
Researchers (Dornsbusch, 1986; Potter, 1987) have stated that a negative
relationship does not begin to manifest itself until a child exceeds a 10 or
more hour per week threshold, with the strongest negative relationship
observed for 30 or more hours of viewing.