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In this era, television is considered as the most potent and the easiest
means to affect the lives of millions of human beings viewing. Today,
life minus TV viewing is almost unthinkable. It is taken to be the most
dominating medium of communication and its impact is being observed
in each aspect of human routine life. It is an educational medium
considered to be having tremendous potentials for providing
information, entertainment as well as education. On the other hand,
some fear that it has detrimental effects on the health, the psychological
make-up and personality of the children.
*Correpondence concerning this article should be addressed to Sanjeev Tomar,
Lecturer, Department of Education, M.P. Govt. (PG) College, Hardoi-241001
(U.P.) India.Email- sanjeevbrt@rediffmail.com
**Prof. Dr. Sharma is Professor of Education, Directorate of Distance
Education, M.D. University, Rohtak -124001, India.
Email-piscean_hemant@yahoo.com
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Dorr, and Rabin (1995) found that those children who spend several
hours a day watching television no matter what the content being
telecast are found less social. There were fairly good evidences that
greater amounts of viewing were associated with less satisfactory social
relationship, fewer inter-personal interactions, lower reading skills,
lower schools achievement and fatter bodies. Kaur (1998) stated that
television is a potent medium of information, education and
entertainment. It is one of the most significant technological
developments for the uplifting of society. The researchers have, on one
hand tried to explore the TV viewing behaviour of different age groups;
and on the other, the impact of TV viewing on the knowledge, attitude
and awareness of viewers. The viewing of TV has influenced the social
life of both urban and rural adults. The researchers studied the TV
viewing behaviour of adults (Thomas, & Tiwari, 1986; Narayanan,
1987; Joshi, & Lahoria, 1992; Rao, 1992; Tiwari, Singh, & Rath, 1997)
impact of TV viewing on their knowledge, attitude and awareness
(Chopra, 1990; Ananthasayanam, Prama, & Vidhya, 1992) as well as
on different aspects of life (Narayanan, 1987; Chopra, 1990 & Rao,
1992).
The research studies mentioned above reveal that TV viewing has
varying effects on teenagers. Although the above research findings are
conflicted and contradictory yet they are enlightening. The present
endeavor explores the impact of TV viewing on the adjustment of
school going children in relation to their gender and academic
achievement differences.
Hypotheses
The following hypotheses were formulated for verification in
the present study:
1. Significant difference is likely to exist in the adjustment of
light and heavy TV viewers dimension wise.
2. Significant difference is likely to exist in the adjustment of
boys and girls component wise.
3. Significant difference is likely to exist in the adjustment of
low and high academic achievers dimension-wise.
4. Duration of TV viewing x Gender is likely to affect
adjustment of children dimension wise.
5. Gender x Academic achievement is not likely to affect
adjustment of children dimension wise.
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Total
Sample
640
Light TV
Viewers
160
Boys
80
LA
35
Heavy TV
Viewers
160
Girls
80
HA LA
35
35
Boys
80
HA
35
LA
35
HA LA
35
35
Girls
80
HA
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Figure
Hierarchy of Sample Selection
Key: LA = Low Achievers HA = High Achievers
Assessment Measures:
The following instruments were used for the collection of the data in
the study.
1) Adjustment Inventory. The inventory was developed by Mittal
(2006) which measures the adjustment in four areas namely home,
social, health and school. This revised inventory of 80 items was used
to measure the adjustment among the children. Responses were scored
on 3 point-rating scale; yes, no and not-certain. The possible range of
the obtained scores on the scale may be from 80 to 240. High scores are
the indicative of superior adjustment, while low scores indicate poor
adjustment. The reliability co-efficient in four areas ranges from .44 to
.80. The inventory has been validated against two external criteria and
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validity co-efficient ranges from .59 to .69.
2) Student Information Blank. It (SIB) was employed to find out
the demographic parental and personal characteristics of students.
Procedure
In the existing study, the respondents were given Student
Information Blank (SIB) and a scale for the measurement of
adjustment to procure the necessary information in the group setting
under proper supervision as per instructions mentioned in the manual.
The scoring was done strictly as per the instructions given in the
manual. The necessary statistical techniques were applied to assess the
effects of independent variables upon the dependent variable i.e. the
raw scores of the collected data was treated for statistical analyses by
calculating mean, standard deviation and ANOVA.
Scoring
Every category of response was given a score maximum score to be
given on an item as 3, doubtful response 2 and one 1 score was to
be given on the rest of item. There are separate scoring stencil for each
page area-wise. One can easily see how many responses are encircled
in the coloured punch of the stencil i.e. for 3 score. Then we count such
responses for each page and multiply that number by 3. Then we count
encircled responses in ? doubtful category and multiply that number
by 2. Now, we count the rest of the encircled responses. Adding all the
scores obtained for a particular area on all the pages, this gives us the
scores of particular sub-scale. Then, we count total scores, so obtained,
on the cover page of the inventory. The total scores obtained reflect the
overall adjustment score.
Results
To ascertain the difference among light TV viewers and heavy TV
viewers, male and female adolescents; and low and high achievers; the
data were analyzed by following mean, standard deviation and three
way ANOVA (2x2x2 factorial design).
The results (table 1) on adjustment of participants in relation to their
TV viewing duration show that no significant difference exists in the
adjustment of light and heavy TV viewers.
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Table 1
Mean, Standard Deviations and F-ratios of Light TV and Heavy TV
viewers on Sub-scales of Adjustment (N=640)
Sub-Scales of
Adjustment
Home Adjustment
Social Adjustment
Health Adjustment
School Adjustment
Total Adjustment
df = 638
Light TV viewers
(n = 320)
M
47.89
46.68
45.98
45.03
185.57
SD
6.80
6.09
6-78
6.36
20.51
Heavy TV
viewers
(n = 320)
M
48.76
47.52
45.96
45.89
188.12
SD
3.37
5.62
7.61
6.65
20.22
F
2.82
3.37
.00
2.85
2.56
Sub-Scales of
Adjustment
Home Adjustment
Social Adjustment
Health Adjustment
School Adjustment
Total Adjustment
df = 638, **p < .01
Boys
(n = 320)
M
47.63
46.24
46.99
45.08
185.39
SD
6.07
5.76
6.88
6.60
19.81
Girls
(n = 320)
M
49.02
47.95
44.95
45.83
187.75
SD
7.03
5.85
7.37
6.41
20.95
F
7.23**
13.85**
13.15**
2.15
1.27
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Sub-Scales of
Adjustment
Low Achievers
(n = 320)
M
47.38
Home Adjustment
46.95
Social Adjustment
45.16
Health Adjustment
44.80
School Adjustment
184.29
Total Adjustment
df = 638, * p< .05, **p < .01
SD
6.85
5.69
6.94
6.98
20.43
High Achievers
(n = 320)
M
49.27
47.24
46.78
46.11
189.40
SD
6.21
6.05
7.36
5.94
20.06
F
13.40**
0.40
8.35**
6.59*
10.23**
AxB
.54
1.39
1.43
.10
1.02
BxC
1.32
1.03
2.24
.95
.62
AxC
1.18
1.12
.07
5.17*
2.17
AxBxC
3.74
10.11**
6.40*
7.23**
7.51**
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Discussion
The basic intention of the existing study was to compare light and
heavy TV viewers. The obtained results point out that there is no
significant difference between the light and heavy TV viewers in their
adjustment at any dimension (Table 1). This highlights that amount of
TV viewing does not affect the adjustment of the TV viewers if the
television programmes are watched by the children under the proper
supervision of the parents.
Another prominent purpose of the present effort was to compare the
adjustment of male and female children. The findings show that female
children are found to be richer on home and social adjustment as
compared to male children. Similarly, Maccoby, and Jacklin (1974)
found that female children excel in verbal/ language ability as
compared to male children. However, male children are found to be
richer on health adjustment as compared to female children. The
probable reason may be that female children by nature are very soft
spoken, cute and kind hearted. These qualities generate high rate of
love, friendship and mutual understanding in female children. These
traits help in their home and social adjustment too. However male
children are found to be lover of having good built body. The reason is
that male has been considered as symbol of power since the time
immoral. The probable reason to have enough consciousness about
health in male children is that they are at the age of adolescence when
the male children want to impress female children by showing their
well built body structure This finding is supported by studies that
investigated physical activity patterns among adolescents suggested a
difference between genders (Malina, 1996). Similarly, relationship of
physical activity with gender had been reviewed and observed that
female adolescents were 15% to 20% less active than male adolescents
(Sallis, 1993).
Another prominent purpose of the present study was to compare the
adjustment of low and high achievers. High academic performers are
found to be higher on home, health, school and total adjustment as
compared to low academic achievers. The probable reason may be
highly family praise, co-operation from family and peers, regards from
classmates and teachers towards high academic achievers. All these
make the high academic performers always higher on the healthy
adjustment in home, health, school and total adjustment whereas low
academic performers are often rebuked in home and school. This makes
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them mentally and physically disturbed. They are often found indulged
in quarrelling and unhealthy practices in schools. All these shape them
lesser adjusted in home, health, school and in total as compared to high
academic achievers.
On the interaction AxB and BxC, no significant difference existed in
any area of adjustment; whereas on the interaction AxC, significant
difference was observed in school adjustment. The probable reason
may be high F ratio in the school adjustment of academic achievers. On
the interaction AxBxC, significant difference was observed in social,
health, school and total adjustment. The probable reason may be very
high F ratios at duration of TV viewing or at academic performance.
Conclusion
On the basis of the obtained findings, it is concluded that gender and
academic performance variables exert the influence on the adjustment
at large. Significant difference was observed on AxC interaction. It
further indicates that these variables exert more impact on the
adjustment of children in combination simultaneously whereas the
effect was found lesser when these variables operate individually.
References
Ananthasayanam, R., Prama, P., & Vidhya, R. (1992). Impact of nonformal educational TV programmes on rural women. Journal of
Educational Research and Extension, 29(2).
Anuradha, K., & Bharathi, V. V. (2001). TV viewing and childrens
academic achievement with reference to punishment patterns
exercised by the parents. Psycho-lingua, 31(1), 9-13.
Chopra, R. (1990). Impact of television on social awareness of adults.
Indian Journal of Adult Education, 51(1), 45-48.
Dorr, A., & Rubin, B. T. (1995). Parents, children and television.
Handbook of Parents,4, 223-251.
Dunn, T. P., Josepson, B., & Wells, J. G. (1977). Television and the
adjustment of Icelandic children to family and peers. Dissertation
Abstracts International, 57, 29-86.
Exon L. D. (1982). Parent-child interaction, television violence and
aggression of children. American Psychologist, 2,197-201.
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