Digital Smarts - Superheroes and Bullies

If you think that watching superheroes defend, protect and help the weak may inculcate positive traits in kids, you may be wrong. Rather, early exposure to superheroes may trigger aggressive behaviors like bullying and reduce empathy for others, a study published recently in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology has found. The findings show that children who frequently engage with superhero culture are more likely to be physically and relationally aggressive. The children were also not more likely to be defenders of kids being picked on by bullies and were not more likely to be pro-social. The studies author, Brigham Young University family life professor Dr. Sarah M. Coyne, says that like everything in parenting, it is not time to do away with superheroes but instead to remember it is all about moderation and being sure that superheroes are just one of the many things kids are interested in.