Gen Z and Gen Alpha Interviews, Summer 2020

This summer, some of the students enrolled in Psych 167 at UCLA conducted interviews with children belonging to Gen Z and Gen Alpha about their media habits, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. These responses give us a unique look into how this pandemic is affecting youth and how they interact with media. Some children reported that their usage was typical for the summertime. Others, however, expressed feelings of fatigue in association with their increased screen time. Older youth seem more concerned with how much time they are using these platforms, while younger children had their screen time regulated by parents and guardians. Yuling, 18, shared in his interview, “I feel more isolated and stressed when spending so much time on [media].” These sentiments were echoed in another interview with Hana, 16, “I spend hours and hours mindlessly scrolling through.” She reported her media interaction occupies roughly 15 hours of the day.

Another common lamentation is a lack of options for entertainment and interaction with friends. Many children use games and other media not only to fill the day, but also to connect with peers while playdates and hangouts are discouraged. Our youngest respondent, three-year-old Aiyana, offered the benefits of keeping in touch through media. She explained, “I FaceTime my cousins when I miss them. When I can’t see my cousins, I can call them!” Other younger children spoke about using games such as Roblox or social media like Snapchat to chat with friends every day.

Most of the children interviewed stated that they have primarily learned about coronavirus from parents and other family members. Some older respondents said they seek out information on social media or a variety of what they deem reliable news sources.

As a result of the pandemic, these children report they have learned lessons in understanding the importance of social interaction in their daily lives and not taking many aspects of life for granted. Across all respondents, there is understanding of the seriousness of the pandemic and an emphasis on health and safety practices.

Below are some takeaways based on the responses to our interview questions about the COVID-19 pandemic:

With children spending more time interacting with media at this time, incorporate COVID-19 information and safe practices into games, social media, and television programming.
Normalize children using media to connect with friends during times of separation.
Encourage children to spend time away from screens by providing alternative options and ideas for entertainment. This is particularly important when children return to online learning during the school year.

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