Child Indicators

University of Pittsburgh, USA The Fred Rogers Co. Junlei Li, Ph.D. Established in 1985 to bridge research & practice State of Child Indicators (City, State) Orphanage Quality of Care Indicators (Russia, Latin America, China) Child w/o Parental Care Indicators(CEE/CIS) Producer of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”, A children’s public television programs from 1968 – Continuing to offer “expressions of care” via television and other medium.

1. The Problem of Large Numbers 2. The Problem of Negative Numbers 3. The Problem of Comprehensive Numbers Child Indicators Lost in Translation

1. The Problem of Large Numbers

Why are millions of children and women dying? UNICEF Health Child labour robs millions of children their dreams UNICEF Pakistan Survival of millions of children in Horn of Africa at risk UNICEF, July 2011

There are 100,000 children who are homeless or refugees in the country of …. Over 45,000 families have been displaced due to famine and conflict. They experience despair and hunger every day.

There are 1,000,000 children who are homeless or refugees in the country of …. Over 450,000 families have been displaced due to famine and conflict. They experience despair and hunger every day.

Sarah is 3 years old. She has lived in a car her whole life. She faces hunger every day. You Can Help.

There are 1,000,000 children who are homeless or refugees in the country of …. Over 450,000 families have been displaced due to famine and conflict. They experience despair and hunger every day. $5 Small, D. A., Loewenstein, G., & Slovic, P. (2007). Sympathy and callousness …

There are 1,000,000 children who are homeless or refugees in the country of …. Over 450,000 families have been displaced due to famine and conflict. They experience despair and hunger every day. There are 1,000,000 children who are homeless or refugees in the country of …. Over 450,000 families have been displaced due to famine and conflict. They experience despair and hunger every day. $2.83 $1.17 No Improvement Small, D. A., Loewenstein, G., & Slovic, P. (2007). Sympathy and callousness …

Numbers of People Compassion …. 100,000 … 10 million Slovic, P. (2007). Psychic Numbing and Genocide...

“If I look at the mass, I will never act. If I look at the one, I will.” — Mother Teresa

1. The Problem of Large Numbers

2. The Problem of Negative Numbers

Google “teen statistics + country”

Teen Sex Teen Pregnancy Troubled Teens Teen Pregnancy Teen Suicide United States

Teen Sex Teen Drinking Teen Pregnancy Drug & Alcohol Teen Eating Disorder Teen Pregnancy United Kingdom

Why is this a practical problem for “child indicators”?

Two Weeks of California (USA) Local Television News Negative Youth Stories 444Violent Crimes 108 Trials 302 School Problems 84 Injuries Positive Youth Stories 84 Youth Accomplishment 16Youth Volunteering Dorfman, et. al. (1997). Youth and Violence on Local Television News.

Two Weeks of California (USA) Local Television News Negative Youth Stories 444Violent Crimes Positive Youth Stories 16Youth Volunteering 8 Hours 18 Minutes 10 Minutes Dorfman, et. al. (1997). Youth and Violence on Local Television News.

Indicators repeat the same cliché (over-used, untrue) manufactured by media sensationalism, creating an “unreality” full of … “child in danger” “troubled youth” Mitroff & Bennis (2003). The Unreality Industry

The “Negative” Impact on Public Understanding Guzman, et. al. (2007). Accentuating the Negative: The Mismatch between Public Perception of Child Well-being and Official Statistics. Based on Three U.S. Polls (1,000 adults each) “… most adults think that children and youth in the U.S. are worse off than they actually are, and are either unaware of or are discounting progress made during the last decade and years.”

The Impact of Negativity on Attention & Action – Lessons from Natural Disaster Relief Donations for Haiti Earthquake First 24 hours$7 Million via Text to Red Cross First 4 Days$25 Million Total Second WeekDown by more than 50%

Gibbs, N. (February 22, 2010). There is no point doing good badly. Time Magazine. Compassion Fatigue “I don’t believe people are tired of helping, only that they get tired of feeling helpless.”

2. The Problem of Negative Numbers

3. The Problem of Comprehensive Numbers Confusing

Airplane Cockpit

What do we do when we can’t decide? Lessons from Social/Behavior/Economic Decision Science “Paradox of Choice”

No Choices  Unhappy Too many choices  Less action & less satisfaction  Demand more choices Too many (negative) indicators  Less/slower/wrong action  Dissatisfaction with outcomes  Demand for more indicators Schwartz, B. (2004). Paradox of Choice.

Frameworks Institute. (2003). The Storytelling Power of Numbers. Li, et. al. (2010). 3 Simple Questions to Guide Communication on Behalf of Children Large Numbers Negative Numbers Confusing Numbers Challenges Care Hope Simple & Deep (vs. Shallow & Complex) In Search of New Directions & Solutions

Frameworks Institute. (2003). The Storytelling Power of Numbers. Li, et. al. (2010). 3 Simple Questions to Guide Communication on Behalf of Children Large Numbers Negative Numbers Confusing Numbers Challenges Care Hope Simple & Deep (vs. Shallow & Complex) In Search of New Directions & Solutions

Child Indicators Lost in Translation A Challenge of Communication Relationship Feeling Thinking Doing

Child Indicators: Lost & Found Lost In Translation