TV Teaches Kids To Be Self-Centered Jerks

If you think kids’ television trashes kids’ brains, a group of psychologists agree with you. They question the values children’s television teaches, and they warn that these vacuous videos are helping to create a generation of self-centered narcissists.

A study at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) analyzed television shows popular with 9- to 11-year-olds. It found that on a list of 16 values conveyed by the entertainment, fame jumped from the 15th spot, where it was in both 1987 and 1997, to the first spot in 2007. From 1997 to 2007, benevolence (being kind and helping others) fell from second to 13th, and tradition dropped from fourth to 15th.

“I was shocked, especially by the dramatic changes in the last 10 years,” says Yalda T. Uhls, a UCLA doctoral student in developmental psychology and the lead author of the study. “I thought fame would be important but did not expect this drastic an increase or such a dramatic decrease in other values, such as community feeling. If you believe that television reflects the culture, as I do, then American culture has changed drastically.”

The top five values in 2007 were fame, achievement, popularity, image and financial success. In 1997, the top five were community feeling, benevolence (being kind and helping others), image, tradition and self-acceptance. In 2007, benevolence dropped to the 12th spot, and community feeling fell to 11th. Financial success went from 12th in 1967 and 1997 to fifth in 2007.

“Preteens are at an age when they want to be popular, just like the famous teenagers they see on TV and the Internet,” says Uhls. “With Internet celebrities and reality TV stars everywhere, the pathway for nearly anyone to become famous, without a connection to hard work and skill, may seem easier than ever. When being famous and rich is much more important than being kind to others, what will happen to kids as they form their values and their identities?”