Faculty Sponsor: Professor Dierker
Live Poster Session: Zoom Link
Abstract:
This study examines the relationship between television watching and social interactions among adolescents aged 12-21, while controlling for sex. Data was drawn from the Add Health Wave 1, a longitudinal study with a diverse sample of adolescents. Average weekly television viewing was quantified, and social interaction frequency was recorded. Univariate analyses indicated that adolescents spent an average of 16.23 hours per week watching television. Social interaction frequency varied, with a majority reporting multiple interactions per week. Yet, no significant relationship was found between the hours of television watched and the frequency of social interactions (r = -0.01186, p = 0.339). Future research should explore other factors influencing social interactions and the limitations of equating television viewing with a lack of social interaction.