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Superheroes as Role Models - Superman and Iron Man may be Bad for Boys
August 17, 2010 02:04 PM EDT
views: 1741 | comments: 3
A new study is suggesting that superheroes are bad role models for boys. The American Psychological Association's recent study claims that boys may be getting a false concept of masculine image from various media sources.
According to WebMD's report, the survey polled boys who were as old as 18 to determine the favorite superheroes. A professor of mental health at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, Sharon Lamb, EdD, and her team conducted the poll of 674 boys from 4 to 18 years old. The poll asked what the males were currently watching on television, reading (in both books and comic books) and seeing at the movies. Lamb then watched the movies or shows considered popular, including Batman, Ironman, Hulk and the Fantastic Four. The poll results ultimately suggested that male youth have two ways they see to be masculine via their media habits.
Lamb presented the study's findings that boys either see the "superhero image" which "shows their masculinity through power over other people, through exploiting women, showing their wealth, and through sarcasm and superiority." The other type of masculinity that young males see as acceptable is that of the "slacker" a "pot-smoking smelly guy who hates school." Lamb's study not only determined that males looked up to aggressive role models but also that they bonded mostly by hanging out together for binge drinking.
The findings presented in this particular study are interesting, although a lot of it may again comes down to parenting. Can a parent stop their child from seeing every possible bad image or potential bad role model? Not quite, but they certainly can have conversations and try to start children early on the right path. The concept of fact versus fiction can always be discussed, so males don't think they have to be billionaire playboys like Tony Stark aka "Ironman". Also, don't let your under-aged kids see the new DVD "Kick A--" which features a loner, slacker high school male deciding he will be the first real person to actually try to be a superhero. That will perpetuate the myths even more for those who participate in superhero idol worship.
Do you feel that superheroes are providing bad role models for young males these days? Is it the media's fault?
Todays Comic Book Movie Superheroes Pose Mental Health Risks for Boys
August 16, 2010 12:58 p.m. EST
Lawrence Mijares - AHN News Contributor
San Diego, CA, United States (AHN) - Speaking before the 118th annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Dr. Sharon Lamb, distinguished professor of mental health at the University of Massachusetts said that todays aggressive, emotionally unavailable, detached and self-engrossed macho versions of superheroes like Iron Man, rarely address the virtue of doing good for humanity unlike the superheroes of yesteryear like Superman and Green Lantern.
Dr. Lamb found that marketing managers take advantage of boys adolescent need to forge their masculinity by promoting/selling a limited definition of masculinity. Here, Dr. Lamb elaborates that the media message being put across is for boys to either be a player, i.e., engaging in aggressive, sarcastic violence like todays comic book movie superhero, or a slacker that is, a person who gives up on the world and never tries. By psychologically limiting a boys image of masculinity to only two options, his mental health and social life is put at risk.
Carlos Santos, PhD, of Arizona State University, also found that a boys ability to resist at an early age, the superhero machismo of being emotionally stoic, autonomous, aggressive and physically tough -- stereotyped images of masculinity -- were more emotionally stable, friendly and had better psychological health in middle school.
Unfortunately, Dr. Santos also observed that such resistance usually decline when boys reach adolescence thus placing their mental health at risk. He advised that, "Helping boys resist these behaviors early on seems to be a critical step toward improving their health and the quality of their social relationships."
Read more: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7019604733#ixzz0xIuoMvKi
Superheroes are bad role models for kids
Mon, Aug 16 08:31 AM
London, Aug 16 (IANS) Modern superheroes portrayed on silver screen preach violence and revenge as a way of life and thus prove to be bad role models for children, a group of US psychologists have found.
Unlike the comic heroes of the past who often held ordinary day jobs and believed in social justice, the new breed of Hollywood superheroes are aggressive, sarcastic and rarely speak about the virtue of doing good for humanity.
The experts suggested that watching superheroes beat up villains may not be the best image for boys to see if society wants to promote kinder, less stereotypical male behaviours, according to British daily The Telegraph.
Modern depictions of superheroes like Iron Man are often playboy millionaires who are only ruled by selfish goals, said Sharon Lamb, of the University of Massachusetts.
'There is a big difference in the movie superhero of today and the comic book superhero of yesterday,' Dr Lamb told the annual Convention of the American Psychological Association.
'Today's superhero is too much like an action hero who participates in non-stop violence; he's aggressive, sarcastic and rarely speaks to the virtue of doing good for humanity.
'When not in superhero costume, these men, like Iron man, exploit women, flaunt bling and convey their manhood with high-powered guns.'
The comic book heroes of the past fought criminals, she said, 'but these were heroes boys could look up to and learn from because outside of their costumes, they were real people with real problems and many vulnerabilities,' she said.
Lamb surveyed 674 boys age 4 to 18, walked through malls and talked to sales clerks to find out what boys were reading and watching on television and at the movies.
She and her co-authors found that marketing managers take advantage of boys' need to forge their identity in adolescence and sell them a narrow version of masculinity.
They can either be a 'player' or a 'slacker' - the guy who never even tries - to save face.
'In today's media, superheroes and slackers are the only two options boys have,' said Dr Lamb. 'Boys are told, if you can't be a superhero, you can always be a slacker.
'Slackers are funny, but slackers are not what boys should strive to be; slackers don't like school and they shirk responsibility.
'We wonder if the messages boys get about saving face through glorified slacking could be affecting their performance in school.'
She said that original superheroes like Superman who was a reporter by day and the Green Lantern, who was a railroad engineer, were invented to fight for social justice and were a reaction to the rise of fascism. But the new breed of superheroes only thought about themselves.
so i now know what happened to all those copies of Seduction of the Innocent.
August 17, 2010 02:04 PM EDT
views: 1741 | comments: 3
A new study is suggesting that superheroes are bad role models for boys. The American Psychological Association's recent study claims that boys may be getting a false concept of masculine image from various media sources.
According to WebMD's report, the survey polled boys who were as old as 18 to determine the favorite superheroes. A professor of mental health at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, Sharon Lamb, EdD, and her team conducted the poll of 674 boys from 4 to 18 years old. The poll asked what the males were currently watching on television, reading (in both books and comic books) and seeing at the movies. Lamb then watched the movies or shows considered popular, including Batman, Ironman, Hulk and the Fantastic Four. The poll results ultimately suggested that male youth have two ways they see to be masculine via their media habits.
Lamb presented the study's findings that boys either see the "superhero image" which "shows their masculinity through power over other people, through exploiting women, showing their wealth, and through sarcasm and superiority." The other type of masculinity that young males see as acceptable is that of the "slacker" a "pot-smoking smelly guy who hates school." Lamb's study not only determined that males looked up to aggressive role models but also that they bonded mostly by hanging out together for binge drinking.
The findings presented in this particular study are interesting, although a lot of it may again comes down to parenting. Can a parent stop their child from seeing every possible bad image or potential bad role model? Not quite, but they certainly can have conversations and try to start children early on the right path. The concept of fact versus fiction can always be discussed, so males don't think they have to be billionaire playboys like Tony Stark aka "Ironman". Also, don't let your under-aged kids see the new DVD "Kick A--" which features a loner, slacker high school male deciding he will be the first real person to actually try to be a superhero. That will perpetuate the myths even more for those who participate in superhero idol worship.
Do you feel that superheroes are providing bad role models for young males these days? Is it the media's fault?
Todays Comic Book Movie Superheroes Pose Mental Health Risks for Boys
August 16, 2010 12:58 p.m. EST
Lawrence Mijares - AHN News Contributor
San Diego, CA, United States (AHN) - Speaking before the 118th annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Dr. Sharon Lamb, distinguished professor of mental health at the University of Massachusetts said that todays aggressive, emotionally unavailable, detached and self-engrossed macho versions of superheroes like Iron Man, rarely address the virtue of doing good for humanity unlike the superheroes of yesteryear like Superman and Green Lantern.
Carlos Santos, PhD, of Arizona State University, also found that a boys ability to resist at an early age, the superhero machismo of being emotionally stoic, autonomous, aggressive and physically tough -- stereotyped images of masculinity -- were more emotionally stable, friendly and had better psychological health in middle school.
Unfortunately, Dr. Santos also observed that such resistance usually decline when boys reach adolescence thus placing their mental health at risk. He advised that, "Helping boys resist these behaviors early on seems to be a critical step toward improving their health and the quality of their social relationships."
Read more: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7019604733#ixzz0xIuoMvKi
Superheroes are bad role models for kids
London, Aug 16 (IANS) Modern superheroes portrayed on silver screen preach violence and revenge as a way of life and thus prove to be bad role models for children, a group of US psychologists have found.
Unlike the comic heroes of the past who often held ordinary day jobs and believed in social justice, the new breed of Hollywood superheroes are aggressive, sarcastic and rarely speak about the virtue of doing good for humanity.
The experts suggested that watching superheroes beat up villains may not be the best image for boys to see if society wants to promote kinder, less stereotypical male behaviours, according to British daily The Telegraph.
Modern depictions of superheroes like Iron Man are often playboy millionaires who are only ruled by selfish goals, said Sharon Lamb, of the University of Massachusetts.
'There is a big difference in the movie superhero of today and the comic book superhero of yesterday,' Dr Lamb told the annual Convention of the American Psychological Association.
'Today's superhero is too much like an action hero who participates in non-stop violence; he's aggressive, sarcastic and rarely speaks to the virtue of doing good for humanity.
'When not in superhero costume, these men, like Iron man, exploit women, flaunt bling and convey their manhood with high-powered guns.'
The comic book heroes of the past fought criminals, she said, 'but these were heroes boys could look up to and learn from because outside of their costumes, they were real people with real problems and many vulnerabilities,' she said.
Lamb surveyed 674 boys age 4 to 18, walked through malls and talked to sales clerks to find out what boys were reading and watching on television and at the movies.
She and her co-authors found that marketing managers take advantage of boys' need to forge their identity in adolescence and sell them a narrow version of masculinity.
They can either be a 'player' or a 'slacker' - the guy who never even tries - to save face.
'In today's media, superheroes and slackers are the only two options boys have,' said Dr Lamb. 'Boys are told, if you can't be a superhero, you can always be a slacker.
'Slackers are funny, but slackers are not what boys should strive to be; slackers don't like school and they shirk responsibility.
'We wonder if the messages boys get about saving face through glorified slacking could be affecting their performance in school.'
She said that original superheroes like Superman who was a reporter by day and the Green Lantern, who was a railroad engineer, were invented to fight for social justice and were a reaction to the rise of fascism. But the new breed of superheroes only thought about themselves.
so i now know what happened to all those copies of Seduction of the Innocent.
![[A]](https://superherohype-data.community.forum/avatars/s/70/70800.jpg?1270390582){kind=avatar}
