CHILDREN OF THE
SCREEN AGE SITE FEARS
Copyright 2002 www.thetimes.co.uk
[ January 11th 2002 ]
Children
are more frightened of the dark than their parents
were because increasing exposure to artificial
light means they rarely experience total blackness,
according to a study commissioned by Powergen.
Nearly two thirds of children aged under 10 insist
on sleeping with a light on, compared with half
of their parents’ generation at the same age,
the study says.
Aric
Sigman, a psychologist and author who analysed
the findings, said electric lights, television
and computer games could have deeply negative
effects on an entire generation of children because
it was stifling their imagination. Doctor Sigman
said: "Children’s imaginations need to be given
space to develop. Being in the dark gives them
a blank canvas on which to paint their own imaginary
pictures. It can be very stimulating for them
to play and entertain themselves in the dark,
because all the images they produce will be unique,
but this rarely happens now."
The research
also indicated that the nature of children’s fear
of the dark is changing as the traditional imaginary
monster under the bed is replaced by ready-made
images imprinted on children’s minds from television,
cimeman and computer games. The scariest monsters
cited by children included Lord Voldemort from
the Harry Potter film, Saruman from The Fellowship
of the Ring, and Powell from the computer game
Tomb Raider.
Dr Sigman
said the solution was to allow children to play
more in the dark and to encourage them to read
more, and watch television and play computer games
less. "It sounds like old fashioned advice to
say read more and watch television less, but it
needs repeating," he said.
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