Television is the most important leisure activity for many children and young people. When assessing the possible effects of television, however, there is a certain degree of uncertainty among both parents and children. This has to do with the sometimes excessive usage time, but also with the content of the television.

There is much controversy about the consequences of television for children and adolescents. There are countless surveys with questionnaires looking at TV wholesale markets, television consumption, and its possible effects. 

The physical (physiological) effects of television have hardly been investigated so far. So far there is no psychophysiological investigation under everyday conditions that have dealt with this topic.

Media consumption shapes and stimulates:

Teens spend more time in front of screens than ever before. Since young people, in particular, can be influenced very much and their development is strongly influenced by external influences, it is important to pay attention to what they spend large parts of their free time with. New types of content often collide with the habits and attitudes of older generations.

Conscious and unconscious formation of opinions:

In today’s society, television has a major influence on the opinion of viewers. This is currently particularly noticeable in the USA, where the largest broadcasting networks often – especially in the case of Fox News – have a clear political orientation. Even if you only unconsciously record the content of the television channels, this helps to form an opinion.

Risks of excessive media consumption:

In the media, especially television, there are undoubtedly risks that can be roughly classified into two categories: on the one hand, the problems associated with too much or too intensive consumption and, on the other hand, the risks that can arise from the wrong content.