According to Sandra Czaja, writing for Scientific American Mind, "Video games, movies and television, Facebook and Twitter [show that], for a couch-potato child, digital culture is rarely more than a fingertip away. Young Americans spend on average about seven and a half hours a day with digital media. In fact, they often multitask, using many devices simultaneously to pack in some 10 hours and 45 minutes’ worth of content every day, according to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation Report" ("Pop Star Psychology," July/August 2011).

These facts by themselves indicate that many aspects of such viewing can and will encourage risky behavior in teenagers and children. The author goes on to point out, "Many studies have demonstrated that exposure to sex, drugs and violence on-screen can make all three seem more acceptable in real life."

Other studies quoted by Czaja show that heavy TV viewers among children and teens "tend to become sexually active younger." They also indicate that openly homosexual characters tend to encourage acceptance of homosexuality among younger watchers.

In any event, we would like to offer our teenage and young adult readers a free subscription to Vertical Thought magazine. This unique publication covers many of the challenges young people face today. To learn more, visit www.VerticalThought.org. (Source: Scientific American Mind.)