Research study compares "scary maze game" YouTube videos in U.S. and Germany to advance reflective thinking about the ethical and social relationships between victims, pranksters and their audiences.

1. You Tube Pranks: Schadenfreude and the Scary Maze
National Communication Association
Washington DC | November 21, 2013
Silke Grafe
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Department of Education
Bochum, Germany
Renee Hobbs
Media Education Lab
Harrington School of
Communication & Media
University of Rhode Island
USA

2. 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

3. Research questions
1. Are there differences between German and US examples
of user-generated video depicting user reaction to the
“scary maze game”?
2. Are there specific features of these videos that
contribute to their popularity?
How to engage adolescents in dialogue about transgressive
media experiences that can stimulate critical thinking,
building empathy and moral reasoning?
Research Design and Methodology
Content analysis of 194 German & U.S. pranking videos

4. Source of images: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh87njiWTmw
Scary Maze Prank
-
The Original
Steffenelite feat.
Googlecheep - Scary
Maze

5. 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
Online origins in 2002: “scare
pranks” or “scary mazes”
global phenomenon

6. 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 videos uploaded with
“scary maze game” tag
Week of November 2013: 1,600
Last 30 Days: 12,300
Last Year: 79,800

7. Historical and Theoretical Background
PRANKS are historically well-
documented in ancient and
medieval literature

8. Historical and Theoretical Background
Television pranking: “Candid
Camera”, “Verstehen Sie Spaß”
PRANKS are historically well-
documented in ancient and
medieval literature

9. Source of images: http://mediamusings.dsc.rmit.edu.au/files/2011/05/mr-schadenfreude.png
Historical and Theoretical Background
Television pranking: “Candid
Camera”, “Verstehen Sie Spaß”
PRANKS are historically well-
documented in ancient and
medieval literature
Children are exposed to
inappropriate/transgressive
video content

10. Schadenfreude is defined as
ridicule and destructive
humor
Source of images: http://mediamusings.dsc.rmit.edu.au/files/2011/05/mr-schadenfreude.png

11. Sample. 194 YouTube videos using the phrases “maze game”
and “erschrocken maze game” between April 5th – April 25,
2010.
Criteria for Inclusion. Explicit or implicit geographic
identification (Germany – United States)
Method. Two coders who were native English and German
speakers coded a sample of videos to develop and refine our
codebook. Interrater reliability between .86 – 1.00.
11
Research Methods

12. Variables of Interest
12
Victim, perpetrator and witness identity demographics
Anticipatory set of victim
Visual depiction of fright
verbal reaction
physical reaction
length of the scare reaction
Use of editing techniques
Popularity Index: Number of views / days since publication
Viewer Engagement Index: number of ratings, number of
video responses, and number of written comments.

13. Characteristics of Most Popular Scary Maze Game Videos
Example 1
Example 2

14. Selected Results
Characteristics of Most Popular Scary Maze Game Videos
Example 3
Example 4

15. Comparing US and German Pranking Videos
anticipatory set 8% 17%
post scare reaction (sec.) 28 (49) 13 (18)
intro and/or titles
editing
31% 8.6%
music 12.9% 7.5%
slow motion 14.9% 6.5%
looping of emotional
response
17.8% 5.4%
>
>
>
>
>
>
N = 194

16. 16

17. Differences between US and German videos
victim
Age
26.7 7.5
13-19 45.5 73.1
0-12
20 + 25.7 19.4
prankster
2.0 1.1
67.3 89.2
21.8 6.5

18. “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

19. 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 – 9
Exploring Online Videos:
• use charts and graphs to record & visualize data
• strengthen discussion, listening, speaking and analysis skills
• use comparison-contrast to identify patterns in media messages
• reflect on the ethical relationship between the author, subject
and audiences of online videos

20. Engage
Online Videos: What we like and dislike

21. 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?

22. Transition: The Scary Maze Game Videos
Basic facts and student familiarity
Sharing our reactions

23. Analyze: create a chart
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?

24. Learn and discuss
A Social Taboo Becomes Normalized

25. Reflect
Reflecting on the social responsibilities of
Authors and Audiences
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?

26. Silke Grafe
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Department of Education
Bochum, Germany
http://www.ife.rub.de/
unterrichtsforschung
Email: silke.grafe@rub.de
Renee Hobbs
Media Education Lab
Harrington School of
Communication and Media
University of Rhode Island
http://mediaeducationlab.com
Email: hobbs@uri.edu