Orange County, Calif. (KNX) - An Orange County woman was the victim of an odd TikTok trend this past Sunday in a Tustin Target that sent her to the hospital - placing a bucket on an unexpecting stranger's head and filming the result.
It may seem silly, light-hearted, and fun, though in this case, the consequences were anything but.
So why do some teens partake in this kind of behavior without thinking twice? Dr. Pamela Rutledge tells KNX New's Charles Feldman, "At that age, they're really interested in social approval, not in developing empathy. So they're not thinking about other people; they're thinking about themselves and how they connect socially."
She says, "Challenges are rituals about belonging and identity."
That begs the question, are TikTok trends amplifying this behavior?
Dr. Rutledge says we shouldn't put all the blame on TikTok; the problem is a broader social media issue that plays on young people's inability to make sound critical-thinking decisions.
So what can we do? DR. Rutledge says, "teenagers are going to be teenagers," but the best approach is for parents and caretakers to use these examples as teaching moments.
Asking questions like "why did this happen?" and "why would someone want to do this?" will help your teen develop those critical thinking skills, allowing them to make a better choice rather than "jump right on the bandwagon," as Dr. Rutledge puts it.
Listen to the whole interview below.
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