TV-Watching Losing Out to Web-Surfing
More teens are paying attention to the Internet in their spare time – and are letting their televisions stay dark.
According to an online poll by Bolt Media, 84% of 16-to-18 year olds surveyed said their favorite free time activity was surfing the net. Watching TV was further down the list, at 69%.
The poll also contained bad news for the big TV broadcasters, who have been trying to court teen viewers: only about 20% of teens could name the four major networks: NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox.
The favorite television networks of those taking part in the poll were Fox, Comedy Central, ABC and MTV – two of which are available only on cable.
Sources: Bolt Media, BusinessWire
Heavy Cell Phone Use Could Be Sign of Unhappiness
If your teen seems to spend all their time on the cell phone, they may be doing so out of anxiety or unhappiness, according to a new medical study.
A poll of 575 high school students in South Korea found that the heaviest cell phone users – teens who used their phones more than 90 times a day – frequently did so because they were unhappy or bored.
According to a recent survey, about 40% of Americans ages eight to 18 have a cell phone. Other studies, meanwhile, are linking teen cell phone usage with adolescent identity issues.
Christina Wasson, a University of North Texas anthropologist, says teens see cell phones “not just [as] objects or communications tools. They [are] portals for being in touch with other people – extensions of themselves.”
Source: Los Angeles Times
Are Teen Boys More Romantic Than Girls?
Scratch what appears to be an emotionally aloof teenage boy, and you’ll probably find a vulnerable romantic.
Researchers at Bowling Green State University in Ohio interviewed more than 1,300 junior high and high school students. What they found was surprising – that the boys involved in romantic relationships were more emotionally engaged than previously thought.
And contrary to traditional beliefs, say the researchers, teenage girls in the study scored higher on average than boys when it came to decision-making power in a romantic relationship.
“These early relationships matter for boys, as well as for girls,” says Dr. Peggy Giordano, one of the study’s lead researchers. “And even though they may not last forever, the young people are taking important lessons from them about how to conduct social relationships and about themselves and their emerging identities.”
Source: Bowling Green State University
Increasing Teen Credit Card Ownership Raising Concerns
Experts are concerned that today’s teenagers could end up being saddled with mountains of debt – as more and more teens get their own credit cards.
A recent Junior Achievement poll says more than 10 % of the teenagers surveyed had credit cards. And that number of teens owning their own “plastic” grows as they get older –from about 5 % of teens ages 13 and 14, to nearly 10 % by age 17, to close to 20 % for teens 18 and older.
Another concern, according to the report, is that close to 16 % of the teens who own credit cards make only the minimum payment due.
“With marketers aggressively targeting teens, now more than ever kids need to understand how to make wise financial decisions to avoid the pitfalls of debt,” says Catherine S. Brune, a member of Junior Achievement Worldwide’s board of directors.
Source: Junior Achievement
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