Preschoolers' beliefs about media technologies: The role of family income

Abstract

Although a vast majority of U.S. children have access to mobile media such as smartphones at home, children from lower-income families spend more time using screen media than do their higher-income peers. Differences in early media experiences based on family income may influence how children think about media technologies. This study examined whether preschoolers' thinking about media varies by family income, with a focus on children's beliefs about the functions of media. Preschoolers (N = 55) aged 4–5 years old were presented with six photographs of different media (book, tablet, smartphone, TV, computer, and telephone) and asked to answer questions about identification, exposure, access, attribution of functions, and preferences regarding these media. Parental median income was estimated based on the family's residential zip code, and this was used to categorize children into lower- and higher-income groups. There were no significant differences between the lower- and higher-income groups in their identification of and exposure and access to these media. However, the lower-income group was more likely to say that smartphones could be used for learning than the higher-income group. Compared to the higher-income group, the lower-income group was more likely to attribute impossible functions to physical books such as talking to other people, taking pictures, or watching TV shows and movies. The lower-income group also attributed more functions than the higher-income group to books and tablets. Lastly, there was no income-group difference in children's preferences for media. Together, these findings suggest the importance of considering family contextual influences on children's understanding of media technologies.