ABSTRACT
Introduction e fact that suicides and suicide attempts cluster temporarily and locally (Boyce, 2011) contributed to the notion that suicidality can be explained through imitation. rough this theoretical development, media depictions of suicides were generally qualified as an alternative resource for suicide role models. is has been investigated and labeled as “Werther effect” (Gould, 2001; Niederkrotenthaler et al., 2012; Fu, Chan & Yip, 2009; Hawton & van Heeringen, 2009; Jonas, 1992; Phillips, 1974; Schmidtke & Häfner, 1986; Schäfer & Quiring, 2013a). In recent years, research also cumulated evidence for reverse (i.e., positive or wishful) media effects that were labeled as “Papageno effect” ( Niederkrotenthaler, Voracek, Hererth, Till, Strauss & Etzersdorfer, 2010; Ruddigkeit, 2010; Schäfer & Quiring, 2013b). is line of research investigates the qualities of and conditions under which media depictions of suicides prevent consequent copycat suicides. On the one hand, this theoretical extension of the research field is an indicator for the fact that media effects on individual suicidality were misread to a certain degree. On the other hand, the new theoretical development
has contributed to a focus on extreme media effects that either help or harm. is conceptual dichotomization does not enhance a focus on less clear or even ambiguous findings (Dickersin, 2005).
