The effect of publicized mass murders and murder-suicides on lethal violence, 1968-1980. A research note.
Previous work on publicized violence on television newcasts has been largely restricted to suicidal behavior. Many of the cases of publicized suicide, however, involve not only a suicide but a murder; they could also trigger homicides. In addition, from Menninger's perspective, suicide involves both a wish to die and a wish to kill. Hence, publicized mass murders may trigger imitiative suicides as well as imitative homicides. Focusing on mass murder-suicides, and mass murders that made two or three network news (ABC, CBS & NBC), the present study explores their impact on lethal aggression. It uses monthly data from 1968-1980. Controls are introduced for seasonal and economic predictors of aggression. Publicized mass murder/suicides are significantly associated with increases in the suicide rate. The homicide rate, in contrast, is not affected by publicized mass-murder/suicides. Publicized mass murders, in general, were unrelated to lethal aggression. One special type, publicized gangland mass murders, were, however, associated with increases in suicide.
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Department of Sociology, Auburn University, Alabama.
D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006708:Homicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008402:Mass Media; D012621:Seasons; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence