Not sure I buy it. But it is interesting.
The New York Post has a story up about a report out of Brigham Young University published in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. In a nutshell, it posits that superheroes do more harm than good to young kids — that children who are into superheroes are more likely to act aggressively but won’t necessarily defend their weaker peers.
Personally, superheroes made me feel braver and true when I was a kid and in some respects they still do.
Nevertheless, it’s an interesting read. Check it out and make your comments in the space below or in whichever social-media thread you found this.
January 11, 2017
They are more violent because they are pretending to fight the villains. Older kids that play video games are violent playing violent games but it ends when the game is shut off while young kids like to act stuff out that they see. Cowboys and Indians anyone?
January 12, 2017
I would have to read the study to know how to react. I have my doubts and you can call me a cynic. But with the “full lives” superheroes live these days connotation of the term has been redefined and deepened from when it thundered into the language. Kids maybe reflecting how superheroes are now written. Not sure until I read the study.
January 13, 2017
This strikes me as a bit off as comic book readers in my day were the scrawny meek kids. It was the jocks who were violent. Perhaps they mean super hero fans rather than kids who read superhero comics. Since kids don’t read comics any more. I will have to read the study.