Child IndicatorsChild Indicators

University of Pittsburgh, USA

The Fred Rogers Co.

Junlei Li, Ph.D.

Established in 1985 to bridge research & practiceState 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 – 2001. 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 dreamsUNICEF Pakistan

Survival of millions of children in Horn of Africa at riskUNICEF, 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.

YouCanHelp.

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.

$5Small, 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

Com

pass

ion

1 2 3 4 …. 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

Teen PregnancyDrug & Alcohol

TeenEating Disorder

Teen Pregnancy

United Kingdom

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

Two Weeks of California (USA) Local Television News

NegativeYouth Stories

444 Violent Crimes108 Trials302 School Problems84 Injuries

PositiveYouth Stories

84 Youth Accomplishment 16 Youth Volunteering

Dorfman, et. al. (1997). Youth and Violence on Local Television News.

Two Weeks of California (USA) Local Television News

NegativeYouth Stories

444 Violent Crimes

PositiveYouth Stories

16 Youth 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 CrossFirst 4 Days $25 Million Total

Second Week Down 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 NumbersConfusing

Airplane Cockpit

What do we do when we can’t decide?

Lessons from Social/Behavior/EconomicDecision 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 NumbersNegative Numbers

Confusing Numbers

ChallengesChallenges

CareHopeSimple & Deep(vs. Shallow & Complex)

In Search of New Directions & SolutionsIn 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 NumbersNegative Numbers

Confusing Numbers

ChallengesChallenges

CareHopeSimple & Deep(vs. Shallow & Complex)

In Search of New Directions & SolutionsIn Search of New Directions & Solutions

Child Indicators Lost in Translation

A Challenge of CommunicationRelationshipFeelingThinkingDoing

Child Indicators: Lost & FoundChild Indicators: Lost & FoundLost In TranslationLost In Translation