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

For educators, practitioners, researchers, and everyone striving for personal growth and a fulfilling life! This completely revised edition of a classic in the field provides a unique way to learn about positive psychology and what is right and best about human beings. Positive Psychology at the Movies now reviews nearly 1,500 movies, includes dozens of evocative film images, and is replete with practical aids to learning. Positive psychology is one of the most important modern developments in psychology. Films brilliantly illustrate character strengths and other positive psychology concepts and inspire new ways of thinking about human potential. Positive Psychology at the Movies uses movies to introduce the latest research, practices, and concepts in this field of psychology. This book systematically discusses each of the 24 character strengths, balancing film discussion, related psychological research, and practical applications. Practical resources include a syllabus for a positive psychology course using movies, films suitable for children, adolescents, and families, and questions likely to inspire classroom and therapy discussions. Positive Psychology at the Movies was written for educators, students, practitioners, and researchers, but anyone who loves movies and wants to change his or her life will find it inspiring and relevant. Watching the movies recommended in this book will help the reader practice the skill of strengths-spotting in themselves and others and support personal growth and self-improvement. Read this book to learn more about positive psychology – and watch these films to become a better person!

Mitry was driven to explain the "why," "what if," and "how come" experiences that resulted after the "wow" experience in cinema. His theory uses psychology and phenomenology to understand how cinema can elevate the viewer from the everyday world.

How do movies engage us so thoroughly, capturing our sensations, thoughts, and emotions? This edited volume introduces psychocinematics, which brings together film theorists, philosophers, psychologists, and neuroscientists to consider the viability of a scientific approach to our movie experience.

How is it that a patch of flickering light on a wall can produce experiences that engage our imaginations and can feel totally real? From the vertigo of a skydive to the emotional charge of an unexpected victory or defeat, movies give us some of our most vivid experiences and most lasting memories. They reshape our emotions and worldviews--but why? In Flicker, Jeff Zacks delves into the history of cinema and the latest research to explain what happens between your ears when you sit down in the theatre and the lights go out. Some of the questions Flicker answers: Why do we flinch when Rocky takes a punch in Sylvester Stallone's movies, duck when the jet careens towards the tower in Airplane, and tap our toes to the dance numbers in Chicago or Moulin Rouge? Why do so many of us cry at the movies? What's the difference between remembering what happened in a movie and what happened in real life--and can we always tell the difference? To answer these questions and more, Flicker gives us an engaging, fast-paced look at what happens in your head when you watch a movie.

Best Psychology in Film explores psychological dynamics found within Academy Award(R) films and provides character analyses applying psychological findings within literature examining an array of human emotions. Best Psychology in Films is an ideal teaching tool for psychological and film courses and equally inviting to those who muse upon films.

Providing intriguing insights for students, film buffs, and readers of various genres of fiction, this fascinating book delves into the psychology of 100 well-known fictional characters. Our favorite fictional characters from books and movies often display an impressive and wide range of psychological attributes, both positive and negative. We admire their resilience, courage, humanity, or justice, and we are intrigued by other characters who show signs of personality disorders and mental illness-psychopathy, narcissism, antisocial personality, paranoia, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, among many other conditions. This book examines the psychological attributes and motivations of 100 fascinating characters that include examples of both accurate and misleading depictions of psychological traits and conditions, enabling readers to distinguish realistic from inaccurate depictions of human behavior. An introductory section provides a background of the interplay between psychology and fiction and is followed by psychological profiles of 100 fictional characters from classic and popular literature, film, and television. Each profile summarizes the plot, describes the character's dominant psychological traits or mental conditions, and analyzes the accuracy of such depictions. Additional material includes author profiles, a glossary of psychological and literary terms, a list of sources, and recommended readings.