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
Editorial Reviews
Review
“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)
From the Inside Flap
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.
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.
“This is a lively and wide-ranging guide to the many ways that psychology is part of the movies. Dine Young examines films, filmmakers and the audience, and writes with clarity and enthusiasm. This book should have wide appeal.” Stephen Prince, Professor of Theatre and Cinema, Virginia Tech, Author of ‘Digital Visual Effects in Cinema: The Seduction of Reality’ “This book is an excellent introduction to the psychological study of film, accessible to the layperson yet with enough meat for the psychologist or film scholar to chew on as well. It is filled with compelling examples and anecdotes, both of films and viewers’ reactions to them. However, it is also solidly based on scientific research and includes an extensive bibliography and notes of great use to the serious scholar.”Richard Jackson Harris, Professor of Psychology, Kansas State University, Author of ‘A Cognitive Psychology of Mass Communication’ “Psychology at the Movies is an engaging and informative primer for any ‘student’ of both the cinematic film experience and the study of psychology, offering interesting analysis and insight to the undeniable influence of cinema on the individual, our society, and even the evolution of our culture. Author Dine Young provides a wealth of research, fact, theory, opinion, and conjecture, all intended – like the study of psychology itself - to not only provide scholarly, interpretative insight, but to invite one’s own personal, subject interpretation of the cinematic film experience.” Michael Hendrickson, Executive Vice-President, Feature Film Production, 20th Century Fox Film Corp
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.
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