Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion · chapter 4 · id influence-c4-04-the-werther-effect----a-spike-

“The Werther effect -- a spike in suicides following publicized suicides -- was documented by sociologist David Phillips (1974) who found that suicide rates rose after newspaper coverage, with the increase proportional to the amount of publicity.”

holdsconfidence: high⚠ extracted by pipeline, re-audit pending

Receipts

Phillips (1974), The Influence of Suggestion on Suicide, American Sociological Review 39(3)DOI registry: valid

An increase in suicides occurred immediately after the publication of stories concerning suicides publicized in British and US newspapers during 1947-1968. The greater the publicity, the greater the rise in suicide rates.

Niederkrotenthaler et al. (2020), The Werther Effect, the Papageno Effect or No Effect? A Literature Reviewsource alive

Evidence consistently supports the Werther effect for irresponsible media reporting, but also shows a Papageno effect -- responsible reporting focusing on coping can reduce suicides.

Sullivan (2000), Critique of Phillips' Werther Effect Researchsource alive

Data analyses have been selective and misleading, and evidence for copycat suicides is much less consistent than suggested by some researchers.

This claim is a stable, citable object. If you can falsify a verdict, tell us — corrections are loud here.