I'm A Psychologist – We Need To Talk About Screen Time And 'Displacement'

Psychologists and experts in child development are increasingly in agreement that not all screen time is equal. 

Government guidance shared earlier this year suggests slow-paced content is better for development than fast-paced, social media-style videos.

Similarly, watching TV or using screens together – and then talking, asking questions and engaging with the content – is considered better than solo use. 

If you’re still scratching your head about whether your child’s screen time is too high, Dr Sasha Hall, a senior educational and child psychologist, told HuffPost UK that the idea of “displacement” is one of the most useful ways to understand the impact on children’s development. 

What is ‘displacement’?

This is where screen use starts to encroach on, or replace, other aspe...