A review in Psychological Medicine shows that reading for pleasure significantly benefits brain health and wellbeing across all ages, from improved cognition and mental health in children to reduced cognitive decline in older adults. Reading activates social cognition areas in the brain, reduces stress through focused attention, and increases empathy, with benefits appearing regardless of socioeconomic background or education level.
Children's media has increasingly adopted rapid pacing, loud sounds, and bright visuals that overwhelm young viewers' ability to process meaning and develop emotional understanding. While content quality matters, the accelerated tempo—driven by attention economy principles—prevents children from taking time to follow stories, grasp concepts, or recognize social repair, potentially undermining their development of empathy and sustained attention.