Suicide, Motor Vehicle Fatalities, and the Mass Media: Evidence Toward a Theory of Suggestion

This paper presents findings indicating that imitation has a powerful impact on social behavior: 3 days after a publicized suicide, automobile fatalities increase by 31%. The more the suicide is publicized, the more the automobile fatalities increase. The age of the drivers is significantly correlated with the age of the person described in the suicide story. The paper also discusses some ways in which concepts of suggestion and imitation can be incorporated into sociological theory.(SIEC)