Boys Alone 2002
Distributed by Filmakers Library, 124 East 40th Street, New York, NY 10016; 202-808-4980
Produced by Kim Flitcroft
Directed by Kim Flitcroft
VHS, color, 50 min.
College - Adult
Child Development, Adolescence, Psychology, Sociology
Date Entered: 11/09/2018
Reviewed by Hope Marie Cook, Curriculum Center Librarian, Eastern Connecticut State UniversityThis thought provoking documentary demonstrates the belief that peer pressure has a role in the antisocial behaviors of adolescent males. Boys Alone is an eye opening experiment that examines what happens when 10 eleven-year old boys are left alone to fend for themselves in a house that is equipped with all of the comforts of home. The results are disturbing. The children pay little attention to the possible consequences of their actions. They perform for each other by what appears to be a competition to outdo the other with bizarre conduct.
The quality of the audio and video is good. The participants appear to be unaware that they are being monitored in spite of the presence of the cameras. This works well because the camera catches the dynamics of group behavior and the mixed emotions of each child as they conform to the expectations of the crowd.
This title is highly recommended and would be an excellent addition to a public or academic library. Sociology, psychology, and education majors could appreciate and learn from this information. The ending result makes any educator question the reasons behind such behavior with the potential to use it as a case study.