Delinquent Behavior More Likely in Kids Who Prefer Gothic and Punk to Classical, Jazz, and Pop

Back to News

Friday, January 18, 2013

Delinquent Behavior More Likely in Kids Who Prefer Gothic and Punk to Classical, Jazz, and Pop

(photo: Robert F. Bukaty, AP)

Certain types of music can have adverse effects on young minds, researchers say.

In a new study published by the journal Pediatrics, experts say heavy metal, gothic and punk was more likely to cause minor delinquency among minors. The same was found for rhythm and blues, hip-hop, and electronic dance music, such as trance and techno.

On the flip side, pop music, classical and jazz “was not related to or was negatively related to minor delinquency,” the researchers wrote.

The research was conducted in the Netherlands over a period of four years, during which 149 boys and 160 girls—all between the ages of 12 and 16—were studied. The presence and level of delinquency in the adolescents were correlated with their interest in 11 different genres of music.

-Noel Brinkerhoff, Danny Biederman

To Learn More:

Early Adolescent Music Preferences and Minor Delinquency (by Tom F.M. ter Bogt, Loes Keijsers and Wim H.J. Meeus, Pediatrics) (pdf)

Susan Boyle Tops List of Most Watched YouTube Videos of 2009; Pitbull #1 Music Video (by David Wallechinsky, AllGov)

Comments

TK 11 years ago

This is all kinds of rubbish. My friends and I listened to alternative new wave/techno whatever you want to call through the 80's and we still do - and none of us were delinquent. This study is one of the silliest wastes of money I've seen.

Sid Vicious 11 years ago

Well this study is all kinds of fail. I listened to hardcore punk,slam danced my way through my teens and had been caught up in more than one riot in my time, yet, I loved jazz of all kinds and actually went to see Benny Goodman and Cab Calloway and an number of blues artists way back when. So what does that make me, a "Hip Delinquent"? in other news: "Swing and Jazz will be the end of all civilization" says 1934 report on delinqent kids.

Aaron Smith 11 years ago

I guess these researchers have never watched A Clockwork Orange. It's Ludwig Van Beethoven that causes the ultra violence.

artfuldp 11 years ago

This study group is too small and too isolated to have any significant meaning on a broader scale. This harkens back to narrow-minded 1950's attitudes about listening to "devil-music" or blaming the Columbine tragedy on a heavy metal band. It's disappointing that AllGov would choose to feature such meaningless and unfounded article.

anonymouse 11 years ago

Back to the '60s! (Burn your Beatles albums for Jesus, kids!). Really, this is only anecdotal --- at best. Very small sample size. Result predictably fits stereotype. Article does not even hint at how the study showed causation, 'cause simple correlation does not. Thanks, Allgov editors, for reminding us that "social science" is humbug.

Name

Content

Delinquent Behavior More Likely in Kids Who Prefer Gothic and Punk to Classical, Jazz, and Pop

Comments

Leave a comment