Research On The Effects Of Electronic Media On Children’s Socialization

Childhood is the basic socialization stage of individual development, whichplays the fundamental and foreshadowing role in the whole process of socialization.At this stage, the individual gradually formed an independent outlook on world, lifeand values. Simultaneously, one also constructs a personal code of conduct standardand evaluation system, to adapt to the role of themselves and the surrounding clump,thus developing their own social nature. In so many factors that affect individualsocialization, the mass media has become a major force which affects thedevelopment of people, especially children. At present, smart TVs, smart phones, theInternet and other electronic media have attracted much attention to this issue.The media has two major factors contributing to the children’s socialization,including the transmission tools and contents. Compared to the oral media and theprinted media, electronic media is much more interactive and touch-sensitive. Tochildren, these features or characteristics are according to their cognitive level. In theprocess of using, children are affected by the mimicry environment unconsciously. Inthis view, this paper mainly analyzes from two aspects, media technology and mediacontent. On one hand, this paper will debate the effects of different types of mediaforms on children’s socialization in accordance with the order of time, referring toMarshall McLuhan, Neil Postman, Joshua Meyrowitz and other scholars’ mediatheory as the framework. As the one-way electronic media and the interactiveelectronic media have different effects on children, the mode of pattern anddimension will be highly focused on. On the other hand, by analyzing the typicalcases of some major electronic media, the research will explore the impact ofelectronic media content to different aspects of children’s socialization in the presenttime. Therefore, the relationship between people and media is to be clarified. That is,the connection of electronic media and children changes from one-way to interactiveparticipation. Children’s access to media content received from passive to activelyseeking ways. Briefly speaking, under the catalysis of the electronic media’s technology and content, not only the time of children’s socialization is broughtforward, but also the extent of it is deepened gradually.Electronic media plays a positive role in many aspects, such as expandingchildren’s vision, carrying out virtual communication, providing learning model andbehavior paradigm, cultivating consensus about the society and life, helping them asemotional company and so on. However, the negative impact of electronic media onchildren should also be attached great importance to. For example, TV and Internetaddiction may lead to the decline of physical quality and the alienation of real life.What’s more, prolonged passively receiving information may lower the thinkingability. In consideration of the objective media environment and children’s right tocontacting the media, this paper finally returns to the conception of children’ssubjectivity. By giving suggestion to electronic media, families, schools, governmentagencies, the research tries to make the electronic media play a positive part in theprocess of children’s socialization and prompt children’s healthy growth, thusbecoming qualified citizens and social builders.