Watch Nim’s Island, become a more helpful person…
Brad Bushman of Michigan University of Michigan’s School for Social Research – set up a simple experiment to see how we are affected by what we watch:
” staged “a minor emergency” just outside one of two cinemas – one showing the violent horror film The Ruins, the other featuring the family-friendly Nim’s Island. On four occasions – as patrons were either entering or exiting the theater for each film– a woman with a wrapped ankle suggesting an injury or sprain dropped her crutches. The moviegoers witnessed her struggling to pick them up.”
It seems that watching The Ruins made people 26% slower to help than if they watched Nim’s Island.
I’ve read similar research before, but this was more specific than any I’d seen, with the 4 comparisons, and involved adults.
I’d love to know whether any similar research has been doing with what we read. I know how strongly what I read affects me, and I doubt that I’m unique in that.
To read the whole article:
Miller-McCune | Article | Depicted Violence Desensitives Viewers to Real Violence
Wendy Orr is a Canadian-born Australian writer. Her books for children and adults have been published in 27 countries and won awards around the world. Nim’s Island and Nim at Sea have also become feature films, starring Jodie Foster and Abigail Breslin (Nim’s Island) and Bindi Irwin (Return to Nim’s Island.) Her latest book is Cuckoo’s Flight, a companion to the highly acclaimed Bronze Age novels Dragonfly Song and Swallow’s Dance. Read full bio
