Prolonged Video Viewing and Emotional Intelligence: An Experimental Investigation on Preadolescents

Abstract

The present study investigated the nature and extent of relationships between prolonged hours of video viewing and emotional intelligence in preadolescents (n=400). The Video Viewing Questionnaire and BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version were used to measure video viewing habits and emotional intelligence scores. The results revealed that the two gender groups differed significantly in the mean scores. In addition to this overall EQ, a detailed analysis of each component of the scale was also done. The relationship between emotional intelligence and video viewing was found to be stronger in females as compared to males. The findings are explained in terms of the theories associated with the process of child development such as cultivation hypothesis, alienation hypothesis, and social learning hypothesis.