Psychologist emphasises importance of direct interaction for child development

Jakarta — Professor Rose Mini Agoes Salim, Head of the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Indonesia, believes children need far greater exposure to direct face-to-face interaction rather than virtual world exposure from an early age.

According to Prof. Salim, children’s attraction to social media and digital games is heavily influenced by exposure they receive in childhood. When children become accustomed to viewing screens with moving images, sounds, and appealing effects, they come to regard this as their primary source of entertainment.

“If a child is exposed to digital platforms from an early age, they perceive it as the most attractive option. Meanwhile, playing with dolls, for instance, demands imagination because the doll cannot move or make sounds,” she explained.

Children learn empathy not through screens, but through direct interaction with peers. When participating in competitions and experiencing defeat, for example, children learn to feel uncomfortable emotions, then receive support from friends.

“Losing feels bad. But when friends say it is alright, that we tried our best, this shapes empathy and the ability to manage emotions,” she stated.

The professor emphasised that in early childhood, children need far more activities that are tangible in nature, such as playing together, playing sports, or participating in group activities.

If children become accustomed to building relationships directly from an early age, during adolescence they tend to be more comfortable with face-to-face interaction rather than communicating only through devices.

For this reason, she encouraged parents to provide space for children to interact directly and not to make devices the primary source of entertainment from an early age.