Diversity and Access in Children's Use of Technology and Media

Session Type: Invited Symposium

Integrative Statement

Media hold a central spot in the lives of modern youth. Data indicate that youth use media for 7.5 hours a day, and these numbers are even higher for African American and Latino youth. Although a good deal of this time is spent with traditional media, such as television, music, and movies, newer media genres (e.g., reality TV) and platforms (e.g., social networking sites) have changed how youth experience media. Although the media serve many benefits, and are often used for relaxation, peer bonding, and personal expression, there may be some unintended consequences stemming from stereotypical portrayals or encounters with online discrimination. What are the media use patterns and concerns for today’s youth of color?

In this symposium, we address this question with four presentations representing a range of methods and constructs. In the first talk, the focus is on portrayals of Black women and men in traditional media (TV, movies, music), and their influence on the gender beliefs and self-conceptions of Black youth. The second presentation shifts to digital media, offering findings on the nature of digital technology use via a national survey of African American families. The third presentation looks more closely at in-school and out-of-school use of digital media via an ethnographic study of lower-income youth. The final presentation shares findings from a longitudinal study of online racial discrimination and adjustment among adolescents. We conclude with discussions of limitations of existing methodologies and approaches, and indicate avenues for future research.

Sub Unit

• Invited Program, Demos, Flash Talks, Poster Sessions & Special Events

Chair

• L. Monique Ward, University of Michigan

Individual Presentations

• The Nature and Impact of Portrayals of Black Women and Men in TV, Movies, and Music - Presenting Author: L. Monique Ward, University of Michigan

• A National Survey of African American Families Online - Presenting Author: Kevin Clark, George Mason University

• Beyond the Digital Divide: Exploring the Digital Media Practices of Black and Hispanic Youth - Presenting Author: S. Craig Watkins, The Moody College of Communication, The University of Texas at Austin

• Online Racial Discrimination, Adjustment and the Design of Empowering Digital Tools for Adolescents - Presenting Author: Brendesha Tynes, University of Southern California