Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026
14:02
Measuring Engagement of Spectators of Social Digital Games
Published on: July 3, 2021
An Ecological Perspective on the Media and Youth Development
Susan M McHale1, Aryn Dotterer, Ji-Yeon Kim
1The Pennsylvania State University.
The American Behavioral Scientist
|January 17, 2012
Summary
Daily activities significantly impact youth development by fostering skills, identity, and social connections. These activities are influenced by ecological factors, from family to societal contexts, shaping adolescent experiences.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Sociology
- Media Studies
Background:
- Daily activities are integral to adolescent development, acting as both a cause and consequence.
- Understanding youth activities is crucial for comprehending developmental processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the multifaceted impact of daily activities on youth development.
- To examine the ecological influences on youth's daily activities and vice versa.
- To address methodological challenges in researching media and youth development.
Main Methods:
- Ecological systems theory framework.
- Analysis of processes linking activities to development (skill-building, identity, social ties, institutional connections, risk avoidance).
- Consideration of proximal (family, peers) and distal (societal) contexts.
Main Results:
- Daily activities provide opportunities for skill acquisition, identity formation, and social bonding.
- Activities influence and are influenced by a nested ecological system, from immediate environments to broader societal structures.
- Media's role in youth development requires further methodological investigation.
Conclusions:
- Daily activities are a critical nexus for youth development within complex ecological settings.
- Future research should integrate ecological perspectives and advanced methodologies to study media's influence on adolescents.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Impact of Social Context on Individuals
Social psychology examines how the real or imagined presence of others influences individuals' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. A key concept in this field is the role of social context in shaping behavior. The same individual may act differently depending on the social setting, due to the varying expectations and norms associated with each environment. This context-dependent behavior illustrates the influence of social roles, which prescribe appropriate conduct in specific situations.Social...
01:17Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adolescence
Erik Erikson's fifth stage of psychosocial development, "identity versus role confusion," is crucial during adolescence (ages 12 to 18). In this stage, adolescents face the developmental task of forging a distinct personal identity, a process influenced by social, psychological, and biological changes typical of this period. Adolescents naturally explore different roles, behaviors, and ideologies as they navigate complex questions of self-concept, asking, "Who am I?" and "What is my place in...
02:57The Sense of Self: Reflected Self-Appraisal and Social Comparison
According to Charles Cooley, we base our image on what we think other people see (Cooley 1902). We imagine how we must appear to others, then react to this speculation. We don certain clothes, prepare our hair in a particular manner, wear makeup, use cologne, and the like—all with the notion that our presentation of ourselves is going to affect how others perceive us. We expect a certain reaction, and, if lucky, we get the one we desire and feel good about it. But more than that, Cooley...
01:30Social Foundations of Self IV: Self in Digital Communication
Since the early 2000s, computer-mediated communication (CMC) has grown rapidly, playing a crucial role in self-development. A key distinction between CMC and real-life interactions is the lack of a physically present partner. This absence makes non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, body language, and paralinguistic signals unavailable in CMC platforms like email, instant messaging, or social media. The lack of these cues can create ambiguity and complicate how feedback is interpreted.The...
01:28Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Childhood
Erik Erikson, a stage theorist, adapted Freud's theory to emphasize social factors in personality development throughout life, a concept known as psychosocial development. Unlike Freud, who focused on early childhood, Erikson believed that personality evolves across eight life stages, each marked by a specific challenge or "crisis." Successful resolution of each stage fosters competence, while failure may lead to feelings of inadequacy.
The first four of Erikson's eight psychosocial stages...
The first four of Erikson's eight psychosocial stages...
01:43Sustainable Development
As the human population continues to grow and use resources, we must be mindful of our planet’s natural limits. Sustainable development provides a pathway to maintain and improve human life now while also ensuring that future generations will have the resources that they need. The long-term success of sustainability efforts rests on understanding the interplay between human actions and ecological systems.