Does Twilight Hurt Teen Brains?

A bunch of Twilight aficionados got together last week, but there were no squeals or Edward-induced fainting spells. Rather, a group of scientists, educators and authors met at Cambridge to explore how the vampire craze exemplified by the Twilight series may be shaping young minds, notes MSNBC. Sample session: "What Is It About Good Girls and Vampires?"

"We need to be aware of young people's being influenced by what they read or watch, the games they play. It all plays a very important role," the organizer explained. And, when it comes to Twilight in particular, that "role" may not be very positive. She slammed the "conservative values" in the books—echoed in the movies—and the passivity of the heroine, Bella. The Twilight series does "not in any way endorse independent thinking or personal development or a woman's position as an independent creature," says a Cambridge professor. "That's quite depressing." (Click here to read about Twilight copycats biting each other and here for all things Twilight.)