An Indian School of Business Study On Children's Screen Time says colourful animations, moving backgrounds and fast-changing visuals may keep children watching YouTube videos for longer, but they do not necessarily help them learn better, the study held by ISB and Santa Clara University in the United States has revealed.
The research suggests that while visual effects can attract young viewers and bring their attention back to a screen, much of that attention may be directed towards entertaining background elements rather than the educational information being presented.
-
Indian Markets Turning Corner After Two Tough Years, Says Sandeep Tandon -
NDTV Profit Ignite 2026: Experts See Opportunity In Equities, Stay Bullish For Long-Term -
Buy Right, Sit Tight Does Not Work for Individual Stocks, Says Dinshaw Irani -
'Worst Is Behind': Quant MF Sees Market Bottom, Flags 'Extreme Euphoria' In Midcaps -
India's Mutual Fund Industry Could Become A $1 Trillion Opportunity, Say Fund Managers -
'Foreign Investors Are Baraatis': Raamdeo Agrawal's Take On LTCG Tax -
Stay Invested Through Market Cycles: Raamdeo Agrawal at NDTV Profit Ignite -
Ramesh Damani Remains Bullish On India For Next 20-30 Years, Sees Bargains Amid Market Weakness -
CAS Came After A Long Consultation Process: SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey AT NDTV PROFIT IGNITE -
Aim To Cut FPI Onboarding Time From Mth To Five Days: SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey AT NDTV PROFI
The findings raise questions about the effectiveness of digital learning videos, as YouTube and other platforms become increasingly popular sources of educational content for young children.
Also Read | Layoffs Are Rising In Tech, But These Skills Are Helping People Unlock Better Pay
The study, titled 'Attention Trap? How Visual Motion Shapes Children's Screen Time and Engagement on Video Platforms', examined how movement within videos influences children's viewing habits and attention.
Published in the academic journal Information Systems Research, the study was conducted by ISB researchers Sumeet Kumar and Madhu Viswanathan, along with Ravi Bapna from Santa Clara University.
To understand how animated content affects young viewers, the researchers examined over 32,000 YouTube videos categorised as "made for kids". They also conducted a randomised experiment involving educational videos and an eye-tracking study with 53 children between the ages of six and 10.
The analysis revealed that videos containing more visual movement generally attracted greater viewership. A 10 per cent increase in visual motion was associated with approximately 1.1 per cent more video views, even after accounting for features such as sound, imagery and emotional content.
Researchers examined whether adding movement to the backgrounds of educational videos could influence viewing behaviour.
In the study, videos featuring moderate levels of background animation recorded a 1.6 per cent increase in view rate compared with videos without additional movement. Those featuring higher levels of motion registered a 2 per cent increase.
However, the study found that attracting children's attention to a screen and maintaining their focus on educational material were not necessarily the same thing.
Using eye-tracking technology, researchers observed where children directed their attention while watching videos.
The findings showed that animated backgrounds helped children return their gaze to the screen more quickly after looking away. As a result, the proportion of time children spent looking at the screen increased by approximately 3.4 to 3.6 percentage points.
Interestingly, much of this additional attention was directed towards moving elements in the background rather than the instructor or educational material.
The researchers found that movement did not necessarily stop children from becoming distracted. Instead, it reduced the duration of longer periods during which their attention shifted away from the screen.
For parents, the research offers an important perspective on how to evaluate the videos their children watch. A video that attracts millions of views or keeps children entertained for long periods may not necessarily offer greater educational value than one with simpler visuals.
The findings suggest that parents and educators should pay closer attention to whether animations support the explanation of a subject, rather than judging educational quality solely by how entertaining or visually engaging a video appears.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
