Phillips's research on the impact of media coverage of car-crash suicides revealed that following a publicized suicide:
A) there was a decrease in single-car, one-passenger "suicide" accidents
B) victims of "suicide" accidents tended to be of similar age as the victim of the publicized suicide
C) there was an increase in multiple-car accidents
D) there was an increase in pedestrian fatalities involving hit-and-run drivers

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Phillips's research found a phenomenon known as the "Werther effect," where media coverage of suicides can lead to an increase in suicide attempts among the public. Specifically, his findings indicated that after a highly publicized suicide, there tends to be an increase in the number of suicides, with those individuals often mirroring aspects of the publicized case, such as the method of suicide or the age of the victim. This suggests that individuals who are influenced by the media coverage might identify with the victim, including being of a similar age.

Phillips's Research on the Impact of Media Coverage of Car-Crash