The impact of information technology on a child’s cognitive development: A systematic review of modern research

Abstract

Although it is widely accepted that children from the age of two can actively use information technologies including touch screens, the specific ways in which children perceive the content have not been fully identified. The impact of information technology on the cognitive function in children is highly dependent on the type of information, the child’s age, and the social context. The article discusses the features of perception of a video stream by children and the influence of regular video viewing on the development of three-dimensional perception, and motor and executive functions. In children under the age of two, regular video viewing has a negative impact on the development of speech and higher mental functions. It was determined that underdeveloped rules of depth perception block the transfer of experience from a two-dimensional environment to the three-dimensional reality. Regular video viewing leads to a constant activity in the systems associated with the launch of the orienting reflex, and, at the same time, it inhibits the development of executive attention functions, namely the ability to concentrate and the choice of priority stimuli. A comparative analysis of learning by means of illustrative activity and by watching videos made it possible to establish that the first approach provides for a much more dynamic development of a new skill. It was found that the use of computer games has a positive effect on hand-eye coordination and on planning complex behaviour strategies. Yet, regular involvement in computer games provokes hyperstimulation of sensory systems and a decrease in concentration. To conclude, not enough scientific data has been accumulated on the impact of information technologies on child development. As the analysis shows, this is largely due to a lack of systematic research covering different age groups, various types of information technologies, and user scenarios.