Putting digital media in balance: The importance of human-to-human interaction for young children

Research suggests that parents and caregivers are concerned about their children's increasing screen media use. While the focus to date has primarily been on the number of hours of screen media use and the educational content screens offer, the latest research suggests a more nuanced approach is needed that focuses on the impact of screen media use on human-to-human interaction. Here, we explore the latest science demonstrating that human-to-human, socially contingent, and responsive interactions underlie healthy physical, social, cognitive, and emotional development. We ask how children's use of screens-especially without parents, caregivers, and peers-may impact the human-to-human interaction that our social brain requires. The impacts of caregivers' use of digital technologies are also discussed. Finally, we suggest that co-viewing and joint media engagement may offer a path forward for families that is grounded in the reality of screen use but is also supported by the science of supportive, caring, and contingent relationships.