Turn off television during visits

Too much television during the holidays can mean less face time with family members and friends, indicates a researcher from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. "No matter the source of noise, we often fail to appreciate how other sounds in the room can disrupt the efficiency of our conversations," points out Glenn Sparks, professor of communication.

"The television has become a standard part of our environment in such a way that we hardly even think about it. The TV is literally just a piece of furniture to us, and we forget it's there even when it's turned on. Yet, the background noise still distracts us and diminishes the quality of our communication."

This phenomenon especially is important to think about during the holidays because families and friends are getting together. Many relatives see each other for short periods of time, and it may be their only time during the year to visit. "These are people you don't get to see often, and when the environment is cluttered with TV noise, it impedes the quality of interaction. Our research shows that, when the TV is on, we are distracted, reduce eye contact, and don't listen as well when others talk."

Television sets seem to be everywhere: businesses, homes, waiting rooms, lobbies, etc. Sparks reports that nearly 99% of U.S. households have at least one TV, and many Americans have more than two in their home. Instead of congregating in front of the television set, Sparks suggests that families spend time during holiday visits playing their favorite games or gathering for conversation in a room without a TV.

"We need to be cautious when the television is on but not the primary focus of attention. People ought to consider turning the TV off when they are in the family room with others," he suggests. "When you do that, it may attract some attention because the familiar background sounds are suddenly gone, but it may be a great way of forcing the conversational participants to pay more attention to each other, and that is what we often really desire when we are visiting with each other."

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

COPYRIGHT 2007 Society for the Advancement of Education
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning