About this item
Highlights
- Psychology at the Movies explores the insights to be gained by applying various psychological lenses to popular films including cinematic depictions of human behavior, the psychology of filmmakers, and the impact of viewing movies.
- About the Author: Skip Dine Young is a Professor of Psychology at Hanover College in Indiana.
- 272 Pages
- Psychology, Social Psychology
Description
Book Synopsis
Psychology at the Movies explores the insights to be gained by applying various psychological lenses to popular films including cinematic depictions of human behavior, the psychology of filmmakers, and the impact of viewing movies.- Uses the widest range of psychological approaches to explore movies, the people who make them, and the people who watch them
- Written in an accessible style with vivid examples from a diverse group of popular films, such as The Silence of the Lambs, The Wizard of Oz, Star Wars, Taxi Driver, Good Will Hunting, and A Beautiful Mind
- Brings together psychology, film studies, mass communication, and cultural studies to provide an interdisciplinary perspective
- Features an extensive bibliography for further exploration of various research fields
From the Back Cover
All movies are psychologically alive, exploding with human drama. This drama can be seen from many different angles-in the movies themselves, in the people who make them, and in the people who watch them.
Psychology at the Movies explores these issues and addresses how psychologists have interpreted movies and how psychotherapy and psychopathology have been depicted in film. The author also examines the psychological make-up of legendary directors, such as Hitchcock, Scorsese and Woody Allen, and actors such as Angelina Jolie and Jack Nicholson. Also considered is the powerful impact that film can have on its audience. The author draws upon his extensive experience in the fields of film and psychology to reveal the deep connections between the fantasy world of cinema and the realities of everyday life. Engagingly written to appeal to academics and movie fans alike, Psychology at the Movies is a front row ticket to issues at the forefront of popular cinema and the human mind.
Review Quotes
"From the beginning of the text, Psychology at the Movies draws the reader in and provides a clear direction and foundation to be built upon through the remainder of the text. Young's ability to do so, not only allows this text to be read and applied in various fields, but also could be used in any level of study. From the movie buff who seeks to learn about their past time to psychology and other social science students, this text offers a balanced amount of both breadth and depth." (The Journal of Popular Culture, 29 August 2013)
"In sum, Psychology at the Movies offers the basis for a useful survey course in film and psychology, packaged in an engaging format. As Young asserts, "Once you start looking for it, you can't escape psychology in the movies" (p. 6). And he adds, "Sometimes . . . a movie stays with us, and we reflect on it--for an hour, a week, a year or a lifetime" (p. 114). With the increasing prevalence of massive open online courses (MOOCS), Young's seminar has potential to interest a very wide audience." (PsycCRITIQUES, 6 February 2013)
About the Author
Skip Dine Young is a Professor of Psychology at Hanover College in Indiana. He is a licensed clinical psychologist with interests in popular culture, narrative psychology and human development.