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Detecting Changes in Suicide Content Manifested in Social Media Following Celebrity Suicides
Mrinal Kumar1, Mark Dredze2, Glen Coppersmith2
1College of Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology.
HT ... : the Proceedings of the ... ACM Conference on Hypertext and Social Media. ACM Conference on Hypertext and Social Media
|July 18, 2017
Summary
The Werther effect, or increased suicide rates after media suicide reports, was studied on Reddit. Online posts showed more suicidal ideation and negative emotions following celebrity suicides.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Digital Media Studies
Background:
- The Werther effect describes a rise in suicide rates following media coverage of suicide.
- Previous research focused on traditional media; this study examines online platforms.
- Celebrity suicides are particularly influential in triggering the Werther effect.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of the Werther effect on the online platform r/SuicideWatch.
- To analyze changes in posting activity and content following high-profile suicides.
- To identify shifts in user-generated content indicative of increased suicidal ideation.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of posting activity and content on r/SuicideWatch before and after ten celebrity suicides.
- Qualitative examination of post content for emotional tone and focus.
- Topic modeling to identify thematic shifts in user-generated content.
Main Results:
- Significant increase in posting activity on r/SuicideWatch after celebrity suicide reports.
- Post content became more inward-focused, with decreased social concerns and increased negative emotions.
- Topic modeling revealed a shift towards derogatory language, self-harm, and suicidal ideation.
Conclusions:
- The Werther effect is observable on online platforms like Reddit.
- Findings highlight the need for enhanced community support and targeted suicide prevention interventions.
- Understanding online behavior post-suicide can inform psychological support strategies for vulnerable populations.
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