Scholarlink

<p>In today’s digital age, young children grow up surrounded by screens, raising important questions about their impact on cognitive development, especially the less explored skill of mental imagery. This study investigated how daily use of screen devices (television, smartphone, tablet/laptop) and early literacy activities (pre-reading, pre-writing) relate to three aspects of mental imagery: generation, inspection, and transformation, in 170 preschoolers from urban private schools in Assam, India. Using bootstrapped multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and multivariate regression analyses, it was found that increased use of television and smartphones was associated with lower performance in image generation and inspection. Conversely, pre-reading and pre-writing activities were positively associated with specific components of mental imagery. Results varied based on device use durations and imagery processes, highlighting the nuanced role of everyday experiences in early cognition. These findings support Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) by encouraging more language-rich, engaging activities and guiding parents, educators, and policymakers in making informed choices about screen exposure during early childhood.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Home-Based Screen Media Use and Early Literacy Activities as Predictors of Mental Imagery in Preschoolers: A Multivariate Approach

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月28日

查看全文
  • Liza Kalita,
  • Arockia Maraichelvi K

摘要

In today’s digital age, young children grow up surrounded by screens, raising important questions about their impact on cognitive development, especially the less explored skill of mental imagery. This study investigated how daily use of screen devices (television, smartphone, tablet/laptop) and early literacy activities (pre-reading, pre-writing) relate to three aspects of mental imagery: generation, inspection, and transformation, in 170 preschoolers from urban private schools in Assam, India. Using bootstrapped multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and multivariate regression analyses, it was found that increased use of television and smartphones was associated with lower performance in image generation and inspection. Conversely, pre-reading and pre-writing activities were positively associated with specific components of mental imagery. Results varied based on device use durations and imagery processes, highlighting the nuanced role of everyday experiences in early cognition. These findings support Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) by encouraging more language-rich, engaging activities and guiding parents, educators, and policymakers in making informed choices about screen exposure during early childhood.