Internet Use and Child Development - The Ecological Techno Subsystem

Oct 15, 2026

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Research addresses how Internet use during childhood can bring both beneficial and harmful developmental outcomes. Evidence links some online activities, such as video gaming, to improved visual skills alongside greater aggression. Prior studies also indicate that environmental conditions shape developmental effects of children’s online behavior. The ecological perspective offered here introduces the techno subsystem, a microsystem dimension combining children’s interaction with living and nonliving technology elements. By foregrounding technology’s role, it supports holistic understanding of Internet-related development and future advances.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Internet Use and Child Development

Online activities and development

Gaming effects and cognitive outcomes

Risks: distractibility and aggression

Ecological Techno Subsystem

Definition and components (living and nonliving elements)

Internet use during childhood and the ecological techno subsystem Genevieve Marie Johnson Korbla P . Puplampu Authors Genevieve Marie Johnson teaches in the Department of Psychology at Grant MacEwan College, Edmonton, Alberta . Correspondence regarding this article can be addressed [to:](to:johnsong@macewan.ca)[johnsong@macewan.ca](to:johnsong@macewan.ca) Korbla P. Puplampu teaches in the Department of Sociology at Grant MacEwan College, Edmonton, Alberta . Abstract: Research findings suggest both positive and negative developmental consequences of Internet use during childhood ( e .g., playing video games have been associated with enhanced visual skills as well as increased aggression) . Several studies have concluded that environmental factors mediate the developmental impact of childhood online behaviour. From an ecological perspective, we propose the techno subsystem, a dimension of the microsystem (i.e ., immediate environments) . The techno subsystem includes child interaction with both living ( e .g., peers) and nonliving ( e .g., hardware) elements of communication, information, and recreation technologies in direct environments . By emphasizing the role of technology in child development, the ecological techno subsystem encourages holistic exploration of the developmental consequences of Internet use ( and future technological advances) during childhood. L’usage d’Internet chez les enfants et le sous systè me Techno é cologique Ré sumé : Les ré sultats de recherche semblent indiquer que l’usage d’Internet chez les enfants aurait des consé quences développementales qui soit à la fois positives et né gatives ( ex . : l’usage des jeux vidéo auraient ét é associés à un accroissement des ha bileté visuelles ainsi qu’à un accroissement de l’agressivit é) . Plusieurs études ont aussiconclue que l’impact du comportement des enfants quand il sont en ligne sur leurdéveloppement serait affecté par des facteurs envi ronnementaux . Dans une perspective é cologique, nous proposons le sous systè me Techno, une dimension du microsystè me ( ex : . les envi ronnements immédiats) . Le sous systè me Techno comprend l’interaction del’enfant avec des éléments v ivants ( e . : les paires) et non vivants ( ex; les ordinateurs) de communication, d’information et de technologie de jeux dans des environnements directes . Introduction All societies focus on nurturing the up coming generation. On the one hand, children must be protected from potential sources of harm; on the other hand, children must experience all aspects of the culture in order to, eventually, fully participate in that culture . Increasingly complex social, economic, and technical forces create public anxiety, particularly in relation to children and youth. For example, in the 19th century, “the telegraph enabled a young woman, against her father’s wishes, to maintain a flirtation with a number of men on the wire” (Quigley & Blashki, 2003, p. 311) . Currently, school age children are online an average of 16.7 hours per week—more time than they spend watching television (Abel man, 2007) . A national research project, Young Canadians in a Wired World, reported that 94% of school children access the Internet from home ( Media Awareness Network, 2006) . There is public concern that excessive and unsupervised use of the Internet may harm children, for example, by exposure to sexual predators ( Canada Safety Council, 2007) . And yet, there is increasing evidence that Internet use actually facilitates certain aspects of development during childhood ( Greenfield & Yan, 2006) . Internet Use and Child Development Internet use during childhood is meaningfully organized in terms of common online activities such as playing games, communicating, and visiting websites (Johnson, 2006) . Child development refers to the processes by which children becoming increasingly capable of complex social ( e .g., friendship ) , emotional ( e .g., anxiety) , and cognitive ( e .g

FAQs

What positive developmental effects of Internet use during childhood are reported in the research?

Some findings associate online behavior, especially gaming, with enhanced visual skills and certain cognitive abilities such as monitoring multiple stimuli and recognizing visual information.

What negative developmental outcomes are linked to Internet use in childhood?

Research connects Internet use to distractibility, over-arousal, hostility, and aggression, particularly in contexts involving online gaming.

How does the ecological techno subsystem explain Internet-related developmental impact?

It frames Internet influence as mediated by environmental factors within the microsystem, emphasizing children’s direct interactions with both living elements (e.g., peers) and nonliving technology hardware involved in communication, information, and recreation.

Oct 15, 2026

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