Schadenfreude on YouTube: Online Pranking as a Topic for Media Literacy

Education in the United States and in Germany

2011 NAMLE Conference Philadelphia, USA

Silke GrafeRuhr-Universität BochumDepartment of EducationBochum, Germany

Renee Hobbs Temple University Media Education LabPhiladelphia, PA, USA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_y8RdJ0HzY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyOr9RAMzmM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQff6yj6vWA

The „Maze Game“ on Youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2R9YTXJeWE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-MAR7n3qrQ

Research questions

1. Are there differences between German and US examples of user-generated video depicting “scary maze game”?

2. Are there specific content features of these videos that contribute to their popularity?

Which classroom activities seem adequate to develop student skills of critical thinking, building empathy and moral reasoning?

Methodology

data collection:

sample: n = 200

video statistics from YouTube

content analysis

Sources of images: lead.jpg, http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/134/6/3/Man_Scared_Face_Reference_by_ahtibat_stock.jpg, http://im.videosearch.rediff.com/thumbImage/videoImages/videoImages1/youtube/rdhash4/W2R9YTXJeWE.gif

• YouTube as a mass medium

• viral videos

• from 2002: “scare pranks” or “scary mazes”

• YouTube search on “scary maze game” in July 2011:12.100 results

• global phenomenon

Source of images: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh87njiWTmw

“Scary Maze Prank-

The Original”

• viewers: > 22.000.000

• comments: > 47.000

• favorites: > 60.000

• likes: > 40.000

• dislikes: > 4.400

• most popular in:

• ratings: > 45.000

Source of images: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wjH8uj9ArzE/SQqxRgf4ocI/AAAAAAAAB1E/9VJwNfNyhfo/s400/court+jester.jpg

Historical and theoretical background

• historically well documented: ancient and medieval literature

Historical and theoretical background

• historically well documented: ancient and medieval literature

• television pranking: “CandidCamera”, “Verstehen Sie Spaß”

Source of images: http://www.causematters.com/wp-content/uploads/candid_camera.jpg, www.welt.de/multimedia/archive/01070/ard60_87_verstehen_1070479p.jpg

Historical and theoretical background

• historically well documented: ancient and medieval literature

• Schadenfreude, ridicule and (destructive) humor

• television pranking: “CandidCamera”, “Verstehen Sie Spaß”

Source of images: http://mediamusings.dsc.rmit.edu.au/files/2011/05/mr-schadenfreude.png

Differences between US and German videos

total length (sec.) 125 (110) 69 (65)

post scare reaction (sec.) 28 (49) 13 (18)

intro and/or titles (%)

editing

31.7 8.6

music (%) 12.9 7.5

slow motion (%) 14.9 6.5

looping of emotional response (%)

17.8 5.4

>

>

>>>>

Selected results: Differences between US and German videos

victimAge

26.7 7.5

13-19 45.5 73.1

0-12

20 + 25.7 19.4

Gender

prankster

2.0 1.1

67.3 89.2

21.8 6.5

• no major differences between countries

• more male pranksters ( 57% in each country)

• no gender differences of victims

Selected Results

Characteristics of Most Popular Scary Maze Game Videos

Example 1

Example 2

Selected Results

Characteristics of Most Popular Scary Maze Game Videos

Example 3

Example 4

approach

approach

appr

oach

approach

“media competence”

media literacy

Core Principles of Media Literacy Education

evaluate

access

produce analyze

reflect

become aware

media in a variety of forms

criticize

express

inquire

participate

communicate

 Learning Outcomes: Students will

• recognize different ways to categorize online videos by personal pleasure, genre, purpose, author, and audience response.

A Lesson for Grades 7 – 12Exploring Online Videos: Exploring Online Videos:

• gain knowledge about the research method of content analysis.

• strengthen discussion, listening, speaking and analytic skills.

• use comparison-contrast to identify patterns in media messages.

• reflect on the ethical relationship between the author, subject and audience.

Engage

Online Videos: What we like and dislike

How to Categorize Internet Video?

• Videos I Like – Videos I Dislike• Music Video – Movies – Sports – Reality, etc.• Amateur – Professional• Information – Entertainment – Persuasion• Socially Acceptable – Controversial

Analyze

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT THESE WAYS OF CATEGORIZING INTERNET

VIDEOS?

Transition: The Scary Maze Game Videos

Basic facts and student familiarity

Sharing our reactions

Analyze: create a chart

Content AnalysisA systematic approach to examining patterns in the

content of media messages

WHAT PATTERNS IN SCARY MAZE VIDEOS CAN YOU FIND?

URL WHO IS THE VICTIM?  

HOW DOES THE VICTIM REACT?

WHO IS THE PRANKSTER?

HOW DOES THE PRANKSTER REACT?

       

       

       

Learn and discuss

A Social Taboo Becomes Normalized

Reflect

Reflecting on ethical issues and on our Social Responsibilities as Authors and Audience Members

Subject

(Victim)

Author

(Prankster)Audience

Discussing moral dilemmas: Imagine your best friend asks you to upload a scare prank video of his little sister to YouTube. What would you do?

Silke GrafeRuhr-Universität BochumDepartment of EducationBochum, Germany

http://www.ife.rub.de/unterrichtsforschung

Email: silke.grafe@rub.de

Renee Hobbs Temple University Media Education LabPhiladelphia, PA, USA

http://mediaeducationlab.com

Email: renee.hobbs@temple.edu