The impact of digital media on children’s intelligence while controlling for genetic differences in cognition and socioeconomic background
In this study (published in Scientific Reports), we estimated the impact of different types of screen time (watching, socializing, or gaming) on children’s intelligence. The novelty of our study was that we accounted for the confounding effects of both genetic predispositions and socio-economic backgrounds. Only a few studies so far considered socio-economic status (household income, parental education, and neighborhood quality), and no study had accounted for genetic effects. Genes matter because intelligence is highly heritable. If unaccounted for, these factors could confound or mask the true impact of screen time on children’s intelligence. For example, children born with a certain genetic background might be more prone to watch TV and, independently, have learning issues. The lottery of genetics is a major confounder in any psychological process, but until recently this has been hard to account for due to heavy costs and technological limitations.
We analyzed 9855 children from the USA who were part of the ABCD dataset with measures of intelligence at baseline (age 10) and after two years. At baseline, time watching (r = − 0.12) and socializing (r = − 0.10) were negatively correlated with intelligence, while gaming did not correlate. After two years, gaming positively impacted intelligence (standardized β = + 0.17), meaning that the children who played more video games at age 10 has the highest gains at age 12. Socializing had no effect. And, unexpectedly, watching videos also benefited intelligence (standardized β = + 0.12), contrary to prior research on the effect of watching TV. Broadly, our results are in line with research on the malleability of cognitive abilities from environmental factors, such as from school interventions and the Flynn effect.
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