How Mobile Media Use Affects Young Minds

In today’s world—when toddlers can use a smartphone before they can tie their shoes—understanding how mobile media impacts child development has become increasingly vital. Mickey Langlais, PhD, CFLE, Assistant Professor of Child and Family Studies (CFS) in Baylor University’s Department of Human Sciences and Design, is leading research to discover the effects of technology use on young children’s cognitive abilities.

In recent years, recommendations regarding children’s screen time have shifted as new research data emerges. In 2016, the American Academy of Pediatrics advised that children under the age of 2 should avoid screens altogether. However, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, studies suggested that interactive video calls, such as FaceTime, could provide social and cognitive benefits for young children. As a result of post-pandemic data, the American Academy of Pediatrics updated their guidelines, stating that children 18 months and older could engage with screens under certain circumstances. 

Despite these ongoing adjustments, policy recommendations often struggle to keep pace with technological advancements, leaving many parents confused about how to regulate their child’s mobile media use. Langlais conducts his research to bridge this gap, aiming to provide research-backed insights that help parents navigate screen time in a way that benefits their child’s cognitive development.

MOBILE USEAGE’S INFLUENCE ON DEVELOPMENT  

Langlais’ latest project, conducted at Baylor’s Piper Center for Family Studies and Child Development, investigates how mobile media use—of parents and their children— influences executive functioning skills. These skills are used for daily tasks like making decisions, attention control, and problem solving. To measure executive functioning in young children, ages 3 to 5, Langlais and his research team applied an assessment using a modified version of the classic childhood game “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.” In the traditional game, children follow verbal cues, such as “head,” “shoulders,” “knees,” and “toes,” while touching the corresponding body parts as the song progresses. The game helps children develop motor coordination and understanding of basic body parts. Langlais’ assessment, however, challenges children by having them touch an opposite body part.

“Our assessment puts a spin on the game—we tell the child to touch a specific body part, but instead, the child has to say and touch the opposite,” Langlais explained. “For example, if we say ‘head,’ they must touch their toes. The better they perform, the stronger their executive functioning skills.”   

To connect the study’s assessment scores with participants actual technology usage, Langlais asks parents to submit screenshots of both their own and their child’s mobile device usage. These screenshots help to determine if increased screen time—whether through educational content or for entertainment purposes—affects a child’s ability to think quickly, control impulses, and demonstrate cognitive ability.

Langlais also recruited a handful of CFS undergraduate students for his research team. Senior Victoria Rodgers and junior Faith Davidson serve as project managers, while seniors Ally Kellar, Sydney Thompson, and Serena Dhande are research assistants. Langlais values the work ethic of Baylor undergraduates, noting that research involvement allows them to apply classroom knowledge to real-world studies in child development. Additionally, he finds that the collaborations also benefit his own professional growth, as students’ fresh ideas and perspectives help shape his research in meaningful ways.

“Students may catch something that I miss and vice versa, and we can learn from each other,” Langlais said. “Collaborating with others helps maximize the potential of any research study.”

For Davidson, the experience to work on the study as a student project manager has been invaluable. She has enjoyed gaining insight into the applications and television shows young children are exposed to daily.

“There are tons of popular shows and engaging apps to entertain and teach children. But, I think it’s important to know if these are beneficial to children during such a crucial period of their development,” Davidson said. “So far, the experience has been great to work hands-on with the apps to see what children actually have access to.”

Although data from this research is still being collected, early results have raised unexpected questions for Langlais and his team.

“We’re seeing lower scores on the ‘Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes’ task than we originally expected. We don’t have a clear explanation yet, but it’ll be fascinating to analyze,” Langlais said. “Parents at the Piper Center have a range of technology habits—some are very strict with screen time, while others are more lenient, so this gives us a broad spectrum of data to explore.”   

INFLUENCE FROM TYPE OF CONTENT CONSUMED  

Langlais’ research takes an even deeper look at the types of content young children, ages 2 to 5, are consuming daily—a critical area of study given the increase of mobile media use among children. According to the National Institutes of Health, children’s technology use increased by 180% during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

With mobile apps a primary source for entertainment, Langlais and his team, including CFS sophomores Natalie Trillet, Claire McGrath, and Ava McWhorter are evaluating popular children’s apps to assess the potential benefits and disadvantages of digital content for early childhood development. They recognize that technology can have both positive and negative impacts on children’s social skills, motor development, and parent-child relationships, so they are evaluating based on five key rankings of developmental categories: social interactivity, prosocial behavior, violence, educational content, and religious themes.

“A child watching ‘Dora the Explorer’ or using the educational app ‘Khan Academy Kids,’ might have a different cognitive response than one passively watching cartoons,” Langlais suggested. “We want to know if educational content boosts executive functioning, and also what types of media may provide cognitive benefits to young children.” 

While screen time can provide learning opportunities, especially when children engage with educational apps and content, it is important for parents to balance when integrating technology into their child’s daily life. The solution is not to ban technology all together, but rather to use it wisely in a way that will positively impact both parents and children.

“It’s when technology replaces essential parenting duties that problems arise. If a child is simply given a device without any thoughtful consideration, it can lead to developmental setbacks,” Langlais said. “There’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. We must recognize that technology can be both beneficial and harmful, depending on how it’s used. The goal is to help parents find safe limits and ensure that technology complements their child’s development.”  

FUTURE INSIGHTS  

With technology becoming deeply engrained in childhood activities, continued research like Langlais’ provides important insight on how to balance these two things diligently, ensuring that digital media is a tool for learning rather than a strain on child development. 

“Can technology help children think faster? Does certain media enhance problem solving?” Langlais questioned. “We’re still exploring these questions, but the answers could help shape recommendations for parents.”