<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>There is a lack of research on the role that new media play in the life of young children under the age of 13 years. Hence, the aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between distinct media user types and social displacement among children under the age of 13. A sample of 1,117 Norwegian schoolchildren from the age of 7 to 12 years responded to a questionnaire about their computer game-playing habits and their use of computers, the Internet, mobile phones and television. The results indicate four specific user types reflecting children’s various uses of new media: a) Advanced Users, b) Offline Gamers, c) Instrumental Users, and d) Low Users. Some indications of displacement were found between TV, reading and drawing and between new media usage and participation in organized sports activities. At the same time, clear indications support the “more is more” hypothesis, which predicts that active media users will be active children.</p></abstract>

There is a lack of research on the role that new media play in the life of young children under the age of 13 years. Hence, the aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between distinct media user types and social displacement among children under the age of 13. A sample of 1,117 Norwegian schoolchildren from the age of 7 to 12 years responded to a questionnaire about their computer game-playing habits and their use of computers, the Internet, mobile phones and television. The results indicate four specific user types reflecting children’s various uses of new media: a) Advanced Users, b) Offline Gamers, c) Instrumental Users, and d) Low Users. Some indications of displacement were found between TV, reading and drawing and between new media usage and participation in organized sports activities. At the same time, clear indications support the “more is more” hypothesis, which predicts that active media users will be active children.

Media User Types among Young Children and Social Displacement

Dr. Psychol., Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo

Chief Scientist, SINTEF Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Oslo

Dr.philos., Professor, Department of Media and Communication, University of Oslo

Dr.psychol., Researcher, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo

Scholar, SINTEF Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Oslo

Nordicom Review

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Media User Types among Young Children and Social Displacement"}

There is a lack of research on the role that new media play in the life of young children under the age of 13 years. Hence, the aim of the present study was to...

Media User Types among Young Children and Social Displacement

Published Online: Jan 30, 2017

Page range: 17 - 30

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/nor-2017-0102

Keywords
user types, new media, social displacement, children

© 2011 Tor Endestad et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Media User Types among Young Children and Social Displacement

Published Online: Jan 30, 2017

Page range: 17 - 30

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/nor-2017-0102

Keywordsuser types, new media, social displacement, children

© 2011 Tor Endestad et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
user types, new media, social displacement, children