Suicide, motor vehicle fatalities, and the mass media : evidence toward a theory of suggestion.

Author(s)
Phillips, D.P.
Year
Abstract

New findings indicating that imitation and suggestion have a powerful impact on social behaviour are presented. Three days after a publicized suicide, automobile fatalities increase by 31%. The more the suicide is publicized, the more the automobile fatalities increase. The age of the drivers is significantly correlated with the age of the person described in the suicide story. Some ways in which the concept of suggestion and imitation can be incorporated into sociological theory are given.

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Publication

Library number
B 16037 [electronic version only]
Source

American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 84 (1979), No. 5 (March), p. 1150-1174.

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This publication is one of our other publications, and part of our extensive collection of road safety literature, that also includes the SWOV publications.