New research shows that children who watch superheroes pick up on the aggressive tone of their idols' behavior, instead of copying the positive parts, as previously thought. The research suggests that preschool children don't become more protective, but more aggressive instead.
Parents allow their children to watch superhero movies and be exposed to the fictional universe, hoping that the positive intentions will reign supreme over the aggressive means through which peace and wellbeing are achieved. However, not being able to differentiate between the good intentions and the aggressive behavior, children mimic what is handier.
Preschoolers Who Mimic Superheroes Miss The Essence
The study, published Jan. 9 in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, reveals the real attitudes that preschoolers borrow from their heroes - and they are not as shiny as portrayed.
"So many preschoolers are into superheroes and so many parents think that the superhero culture will help their kids defend others and be nicer to their peers, but our study shows the exact opposite. Kids pick up on the aggressive themes and not the defending ones," noted Professor Sarah M. Coyne, lead author of the research.
According to the data, children who engage with the superhero culture on a frequent basis are more prone to becoming more aggressive in a one-year span, both physically and relationally.
"The aim of the study was to examine longitudinal associations between superhero engagement and a variety of aggressive, prosocial, and defending behaviors in preschool children. Participants consisted of 240 preschoolers (49% male) and their parents who reported on child media use and outcomes at 2 different time points. Preschooler's engagement with superheroes was related to increased physical and relational aggression 1 year later," noted the research.
Additionally, the research brings evidence that preschoolers did not pick up on the tendency of being defenders of other children who are bullied, and neither do they manifest a prosocial attitude.
While the study is counterintuitive, it only adds up on the data provided by a previous research — of the same study author — on the effects of Disney princess culture on very young children.
However, the author never suggested a complete cut of access when it comes to either Disney princesses or superheroes, but rather a moderated exposure. According to Coyne, watching superheroes should be one of the many activities a child is engaged in, so that the influence received there doesn't become a major behavioral factor.
Once the exposure is predominant, the child will mimic the behavior, without necessarily understanding the underlying social mechanisms that could explain violence and make it a positive attitude. Instead, children will simply become more violent and aggressive.
Superheroes And The Superficial Behavior
Additionally, the complexity of the superhero psychology is too much for a preschooler to sink in, as these characters are not mainly created for children of this age, but for a more psychologically mature audience.
The study, however, found that many preschoolers are still regularly exposed to superhero media, and the complex interaction between the violence and the proactive behavior is a cognitive burden that children cannot handle. Therefore, instead of understanding the meta-message, which promotes morality and positive social thinking, preschoolers only access what is most basic — the violence.
