How Media Affects Teenage Behavior

How will the Blackberry and i-phone influence your teenager’s behavior?

In an era where the Blackberry and i-phone are immediately available to teenagers globally, it becomes apparent that the media will bear an increasingly strong influence on teenage behavior, unlike other media of the past, monitored at home by parents. The media can and will affect teenage behavior in a positive, as a well as negative way.

The article “Media's Influence on the Teenage Brain” by Dr. Meg Meeker suggests that the influence of the media on teenager’s behavior can be frightening.

Consider the possible ways media affects teenage behavior.

Communication and awareness:

Increased communication via the Blackberry and i-phone will help to increase your teenager’s awareness of his or her own community and country, as well as global awareness. Developing increased communication and awareness are appropriate for teenagers, unless what the media presents or communicates to them is adverse, negative or potentially destructive patterns of behavior that they may mimic.

Teenagers tend to follow the example of other teenagers, regardless of the previous teaching and example set by their parents and teachers. For example, a group of teenagers can learn about and participate in global, philanthropic projects that set a good example for others. On the other hand, they may choose to follow protests and riots without parental awareness and guidance in respect to their actual involvement via a Blackberry or i-phone. This kind of a scenario can become potentially violent.

Knowledge and understanding:

Access to the Internet on a Blackberry or i-phone allows teenagers increased knowledge and understanding about personal, family, community, country and global issues or concerns. This is a good thing, as it teaches them how to cope with life more effectively.

When the knowledge communicated to teenagers becomes negative, destructive and potentially harmful to them and others emotionally, mentally, physically or spiritually, the benefits of the Blackberry or i-phone mode of communication for teenagers may become questionable.

One must ask whether the teenagers are old enough to deal with all of the social concerns that can influence their behavior in an adverse manner. Perhaps it becomes more important than ever for increased regulation of content on the Internet, because of the increased number of teenagers with access.

Social media

Social media platforms allow teenagers to communicate with other teenagers on a far higher level than in any previous era. With smart phones, teenagers choose what they wish to communicate socially and regulation becomes increasingly difficult and problematic.

Understanding the reality of continuing technological advances and development in terms of media platforms and communication, as well as the rate of changes or transitions in the media, is important for parents as it will affect teenage behavior everywhere.

Parents and teachers represent a major influence with respect to the behavior of teenagers, but at some point in time, they relinquish control and can only trust that what they have taught their teenagers will prevail. Many teenagers will experiment, as well as learn by trial and error that negative, adverse, behavior patterns lead to potential problems.

Like any other tool, media tools used in a positive and constructive way, can influence teenage behavior in a good direction. Parental guidance is always important, but there are times when teenagers become independent and have to make their own choices.

Are teenagers growing up too fast in our era? Do they know too much? Is the media influencing their behavior? To this, one can only suggest that there is a balance between the good and the not-good influences of the media, particularly via the Blackberry and i-phone.