The Dark Side of Teen Popularity
May 3rd, 2008
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“Losers shop at Target.” That’s one of the messages coming through in ‘Gossip Girls,’ a popular teen book and TV series. Naomi Johnson (Longwood University) says these books are filled with product placements that try to convince young girls that the most important thing in life is to get a boy through buying and wearing high status couture.
Also: We all want our children to be well-liked, but new study shows there are risks that come with being popular. University of Virginia psychologist Joseph Allen says popular kids are more likely to drink, smoke and vandalize. They seem like leaders, but in reality they may only be tracking peer opinion, as politicians do with polls.
The Virginia Association of Broadcasters in May honored With Good Reason with an award for "Best Documentary or Public Affairs Program" for the show 