Unfortunately, a bad example is contagious. Sometimes people, without saying a word, seek to imitate suicide, widely publicized in the media. Today we will talk about this strange large-scale phenomenon, called the Werther effect.
The consequences of reading the famous novel
It started over two centuries ago. On the streets of cities throughout Europe, colorfully dressed young people now and then appeared. A yellow vest, blue tailcoat and pantaloons could be a fashion trend. Progressive youth were under the impression of reading the great Goethe's novel The Sufferings of Young Werther. The work brought the author worldwide fame. But who would have thought that people would want to copy not only clothing habits, but also the terrifying ending of the plot: in the finale, the main character shoots himself in the head. Then the Werther effect as a phenomenon was not classified. This happened only two centuries later. And in the 70s of the XVIII century, the authorities in Germany, Denmark and Italy did not find anything better than to ban a great work, having stopped provoking impressionable youth tosuicide.
Introduction of the term
Two centuries later, American sociologist David Phillips investigated the causes of mass suicides that spontaneously arose after reading Goethe's novel. The imitators of the young Werther, just like the main character, suffered from unrequited love and did not see the point in continuing to exist in this mortal world. The powerful message of the work made people live this story to the end.
However, young Werther's syndrome has not disappeared after two centuries. David Philips launched an independent investigation. The scientist analyzed the details of 12 thousand suicides that were covered in television news, and came to a terrible conclusion. It is indeed common for people to copy suicide attempts, no matter from what source they learned about it: from literature, newspapers, news programs or television films. So a new term appeared in psychology - the Werther effect.
Why do mass suicides happen?
Mass suicide itself is not a new phenomenon. There are striking examples in history in all world cultures: the hara-kiri of Japanese samurai, the self-immolation of Old Believers, the suicide of Jews who did not want to become slaves in ancient Rome, and even the actions of suicide bombers today. However, all these suicides are dictated by a different, non-imitative motive. These mass actions are dictated by ideology. The Werther effect has a completely different character. This is something beyond comprehension, but the phenomenon also has a powerful motive behind it. For example, the desire to leave for another world after an idol.
The brightest stars whose deaths fueled mass suicides
The most illustrative example can be considered mass poisoning as solidarity with the death of the beloved mid-twentieth-century actress Marilyn Monroe. Many people did not find the strength to survive the loss and joined her in their last decision. In recent history, the memories of the death of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain are still fresh in the memory of fans. In April 1994, the musician was found dead on the floor of his own house, shot through the head. A weapon and a suicide note were found on him. Needless to say, the leader of a cult rock band unwittingly condemned to death a lot of admirers of his talent. Young people regarded this act not as a desire to play with death or attract attention, but as a sign of protest.
Actual problem of our time
If in the 18th century the main "irritant" of impressionable youth was literature, then nowadays parents have more than enough reasons for concern. The media savor every detail of the next high-profile incident, which they cannot fail to cause indignation of the concerned and worried public. So, for example, Roskomnadzor created a working group, which included prominent public figures, psychologists, publicists, journalists, as well as experts studying the problems of suicide. Russian public figures are preparing recommendations on the proper coverage of suicide cases in the media. Otherwise, the Werther effect can take the lives of more than one thousand.man.
How to properly cover tragic news
We remember what a strong effect the work of the great Goethe had on the youth of Europe. However, no one will hide the news, in the age of the Internet, they will still seep into the masses. It is important to know how to properly cover an event. Absolutely superfluous are the details of the suicide, the coverage of the causes and motives. Millions of people may have similar fates. And someone's suicide can become an instruction for action or be regarded as the only way out of a difficult situation. Why does imitation take place?
This is a severe psychological problem
People who find themselves in difficult situations become depressed or feel the burden of other mental disorders. They don't have the strength to fight or ask for help. In such a critical state, it is much easier to find out about the fate of a person who duplicates your fate, like two drops of water. Only this man has already found a way out… Journalists who describe another case with deliberate drama add fuel to the fire even more. Raised voices and excessive emotionality act on the desperate like a red rag on a bull.
Experts urge media to be restrained and unemotional
We have already learned how the Werther effect works, now we will find out how journalists should work so as not to provoke people to a fatal step. The expert council of Roskomnadzor proposes to cover the fateful events with restraint and conciseness. There should not be details of the action itself, whichcan become for fans a detailed instruction for action. The attitude of journalists and broadcasters should be serious and balanced. It is impossible to conduct a story on behalf of the victim, deliberately focusing on the gender and age of the suicide. According to statistics, Werther's syndrome increases the number of suicides of the same sex and age with the deceased. As you can see, the words that pour in a continuous stream from the news series of television have too effective an impact.
Power of the word
Desperate people, especially teenagers, perceive news of suicide as an algorithm for action. However, modern reporters are too greedy for sensations and ratings. But no one canceled the psychology and the impact of the power of the word. According to the expert group, for every thousand people in a situation that led to the suicide of the next "hero" of the news, there are three people. If the journalists themselves are not well versed in psychology, it would not be superfluous for them to hire a full-time psychologist who will give recommendations on proper coverage of the topic.
Psychological portrait of a follower
Now let's take a closer look at the psychological portrait of a person who can follow the example of a famous suicide. What is the Werther effect in terms of defining a risk group? Here is a typical portrait of a man. He is unsure of himself, relies on someone else's opinion and is used to being guided in his actions by his chosen role model. This person is led, it is easy to confuse or convince him. He trusts someone else's assessment more than his own perception of the situation. Hehas weak willpower and lacks a sense of self-preservation.
Werther effect: examples from recent history
Here are some instructive examples from life. In the 1980s, the television series Death of a Student was popular in Germany. Along with the opening credits in each new episode, a scene was shown in which a student throws himself under the wheels of a moving train. Strikingly, in parallel with the show, law enforcement agencies noted a surge in identical suicides. Teenagers and students were 2.5 times more likely to throw themselves in front of a train than they were before the TV series aired.
Here is another similar example. 30 years ago in Austria, suicides in the subway suddenly increased sharply. And then the employees of the Vienna Metro, together with the local Crisis Assistance Center, took unprecedented measures. They stopped sending information to the media about another victim who decided to commit suicide in the subway. It worked, and suicides were reduced by a factor of three. Since then, the Austrian press no longer inflates sensations from someone else's tragedy. We will follow this example.
