Featured Research
from universities, journals, and other organizations
Popular YouTube videos drown viewers with positive portrayals of drunkenness
Date:
February 20, 2015
Source:
University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences
Summary:
The 70 most popular videos depicting drunkenness on YouTube account for more than 330 million views, with little portrayal of the negative outcomes of excessive alcohol consumption, according to a new analysis. The popularity of such videos on YouTube could be an opportunity for public health interventions aimed at educating teenagers and young adults of the negative consequences of intoxication.
The 70 most popular videos depicting drunkenness on YouTube account for more than 330 million views, with little portrayal of the negative outcomes of excessive alcohol consumption, according to an analysis led by the University of Pittsburgh Center for Research on Media, Technology, and Health (CRMTH).
Related Articles
The popularity of such videos on YouTube could be an opportunity for public health interventions aimed at educating teenagers and young adults of the negative consequences of intoxication, the researchers suggest in an article published in today's issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
"There has been little research examining Internet-based, alcohol-related messaging," said lead author Brian A. Primack, M.D., Ph.D., director of CRMTH and assistant vice chancellor for health and society in Pitt's Schools of the Health Sciences. "While we know that some viewers may be savvy enough to skeptically view music videos or advertisements portraying intoxication as fun, those same viewers may be less cynical when viewing user-generated YouTube videos portraying humorous and socially rewarding escapades of a group of intoxicated peers."
Dr. Primack's team mined YouTube for five terms synonymous with alcohol intoxication -- drunk, buzzed, hammered, tipsy and trashed -- winnowing their findings down to the most relevant.
There were a total of 333,246,875 views for all 70 videos combined.
- Humor was juxtaposed with alcohol use in 79 percent of the videos.
- Motor vehicle use was present in 24 percent.
- Although 86 percent of the videos showed active intoxication, only 7 percent contained references to alcohol dependence.
- An average of 23.2 "likes" were registered for every "dislike."
- While 89 percent of the videos involved males, only 49 percent involved females.
- A specific brand of alcohol was referenced in 44 percent of the videos.
"This is the first comprehensive attempt to analyze YouTube data on intoxication, and these statistics should be valuable in guiding interventions," said Dr. Primack, also a practicing physician. "For example, we know that men tend to report more frequent binge drinking than women and that alcohol use is perceived as more socially acceptable for men. Because they are portrayed more frequently in YouTube videos, it may be useful to target men with future interventions debunking alcohol-related myths propagated on social media."
Dr. Primack found it concerning that nearly half the videos contained specific brand references. While this could indicate industry influence, the researchers did not note any clear indication of intentional advertising. Past research has linked exposure to brand references in popular media to encouraging alcohol consumption.
Story Source:
The above story is based on materials provided by University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Cite This Page:
Share This
More From ScienceDaily
More Mind & Brain News
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Featured Research
from universities, journals, and other organizations
Education 'Experts' Cited in News Stories May Lack Expertise, Study Finds
Feb. 20, 2015 — A study of education experts cited in news stories and blogs during 2013 finds that some lack background in education policy and ... full story
- Education 'Experts' May Lack Expertise
- Diabetes, Depression Can Predict Dementia Risk
- Highly Processed Foods Linked to Addictive Eating
- Mental, Physical Illness Sick Notes: GPs Differ
- Amphetamine Gets the Job Done
- New ALS Gene, Signaling Pathways Identified
- New Brain Mapping Reveals Unknown Cell Types
- Mice Get Big Brains With Help of Human DNA
- Tracing Languages Back Using Statistics on Sounds
- Statins May Not Lower Parkinson's Risk
newer top stories | older top stories
Breaking News:
More Coverage
In the YouTube Universe, Alcohol Is Funny, Drinkers Are Attractive, Consequences Minimal
Feb. 20, 2015 — Media exposure to alcohol has been linked to negative alcohol-use consequences.New research examines portrayals of alcohol intoxication in leading YouTube videos.Findings show the videos commonly ... read more
Strange & Offbeat Stories
Health & Medicine
- New Nanogel for Drug Delivery: Self-Healing Gel Can Be Injected Into the Body and Act as a Long-Term Drug Depot
- Keeping Atherosclerosis in-Check With Novel Targeted Inflammation-Resolving Nanomedicines
- Brain's Iconic Seat of Speech Goes Silent When We Actually Talk
- Scientists Turn the Tables on Drug-Resistant Bacteria by Infecting Them With Bacteriophages (Bacterial Viruses)
- Mulling the Marijuana Munchies: How the Brain Flips the Hunger Switch
Mind & Brain
- Mouse Embryo With Big Brain: Evolving a Bigger Brain With Human DNA
- Can You Judge a Man by His Fingers? Link Between Relative Lengths of Index and Ring Fingers in Men and Behavior Towards Women
- Women Seek Greater Variety in Men and Consumer Products Near Ovulation
- Even Animals Compose: What It Means to Be a Musical Species
- Complex Nerve-Cell Signaling Traced Back to Common Ancestor of Humans and Sea Anemones
Living & Well
- People Value Resources More Consistently When They Are Scarce
- Neural Basis of 'Being in the Mood': Researchers Discover Neurons That Combine Social Information With Hormonal State in Female Mice
- Will Your Partner Stay or Stray? Look at Finger Length
- F-Bombs Notwithstanding, All Languages Skew Toward Happiness: Universal Human Bias for Positive Words
- Settling for 'Mr. Right Now' Better Than Waiting for 'Mr. Right', Shows Model of Digital Organisms
In Other News
... from NewsDaily.com
Science News
- Spacewalking astronauts rig station for new U.S. space taxis
- Exclusive: Orbital explosion probe said to find debris in engine: sources
- Sunbathers take heed: skin damage continues hours after exposure
- Bigger is better: 19th century hypothesis gets fresh endorsement
- Marijuana munchies are all in the brain, U.S. study finds
Health News
- Ireland says second major tobacco firm threatens legal action
- Youth fighting 'superbug' infection from Los Angeles outbreak
- Meningitis bacteria to blame for Oregon student's death
- Exclusive: U.S. health officials push for stricter 'superbug' defense
- U.S. proposes 0.9 percent cut in 2016 Medicare Advantage payments
Environment News
- Another winter storm to pummel eastern United States with snow and sleet
- Australia prepares for floods in aftermath of major cyclones
- Northeast travel agents warm to winter as vacation booking surge
- Eastern U.S. bitter cold snap brings pain, grimaces and wonder
- Duke Energy fined over $100 million for environmental violations
Technology News
- U.S. urges removing Superfish program from Lenovo laptops
- AT&T urges FCC to revisit spectrum bidding rules
- Apple hiring big brains in car battery space
- Google wins dismissal of U.S. lawsuit over Android app limits
- Google's YouTube to launch subscription music service in 'few months'
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please leave a comment-- or suggestions, particularly of topics and places you'd like to see covered