Passive mediums will have greater effects than highly interactive ones until users spend more time on interactive mediums

I believe highly interactive mediums, such as video games, could have greater effects on media users in comparison to the more passive mediums like television.  Right now passive mediums, especially television, have greater effects than interactive ones because people are more exposed to them.  More time is spent watching television or listening to music than playing video games or the computer.  Being exposed to a medium for a substantial amount of time definitely has to cause some sort of effect, positive or negative, as was demonstrated in the Bobo Doll studies.    As interactive mediums continue to improve and consume more of peoples’ time, it’s effects will also become greater and greater. 

Interactive mediums should be more stimulating than the more passive ones since they require a response from the user.  Just by having to participate or contribute to the medium, one has already been affected in a way by it.  Passive mediums do not require responses and therefore do not always cause an effect.  Passive mediums can be just as ineffective as they are effective.  Another reason highly interactive mediums could generate greater effects on users is because due to the interactivity happening while using the medium, there is a higher possibility of the occurrence of the third-person effect.  In video games for example, users are now interacting with other users through a game, and therefore reaching and affecting more people.

In time, highly interactive mediums will begin to consume more time from the users thus leading to greater effects, but in the meantime, passive mediums that have been more established are the ones causing the greatest effects.

Links: 

Kids Spend Less Than 20% of Their Media Time Playing Video Games, Study Finds

http://kotaku.com/5898380/kids-spend-less-than-20-of-their-media-time-playing-video-games-study-finds