THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS

OF CINEMATOGRAPHY AND ITS

IMPACT ONTO YOUNGER
GENERATION
Півень Анастасія (Па17-22)
 Movies can make a deep psychological, even
spiritual impact on the viewer. One of the most
enduring series of films developed to date, Star
Wars, was designed by producer George Lucas with
captivating spiritual sub-themes revolving around
the struggle between good and evil.

According to Lucas, part of his purpose in creating

Star Wars was to move young people to think about
the deeper questions of life. Lucas' own spiritual
persuasions of Protestant Christianity and Buddhism
are reflected in the characters and sub-themes of the
original Star Wars movie (1977). One viewer of the
1977 Star Wars film states that he thought about the
spiritual themes of Star Wars for weeks after first
seeing the film as a teen.
History of the development of films and movies in the
United States
Modern technology gave birth to the movie history in a West Orange, New Jersey
in Thomas Edison Studios. Edison first featured his films publicly in 1894, and in
1896, he had produced the first story movie, "The Kiss" which both shocked and
bonded audiences to motion pictures as a way of life (Classic Movie Gab. 2010,
April 11).

The development of photography in the 1800s led to the gradual introduction of

moving picture primitive at first, the technology would leap from and jump ocean
borders from the U.S. to France and Britain.

Prior to the development of photography and movies, and before baseball became
a popular sport in the United States (the "national pastime became such during and
after the civil war), drawing was a way of life for most children and young adults.
The average child and teen during the early to mid-1800s had a skill in drawing
which was close to being professional by today's standards. Because you couldn't
yet take a photograph and because there were so few serious distractions, pianos in
the parlor as well as drawing and art were very common pastimes in the United
States and Europe.
Movie History: First Movie
With a Plot - Violence in
Movies
While movies prior to 1903 featured short stories, the
first movie with a real plot was produced by Edison
Studios in 1903, "The Great Train Robbery", which,
true to its theme, included robbery and in the end a
bloody massacre. It concludes with a bandit pointing
his gun at the camera (the audience) (Prince, S. 2003.
p.24). It is considered to be the root of violent movies
in the 20th century. Thousands of movies were turned
out by scores of movie studios in the United States,
France and Britain from 1897 through 1914 on all
imaginable themes and styles.
Do movies affect our mood, judgments, worldview, or
way of thinking?
A study by Joseph P. Forgas and Stephanie Moylan of the
University of New South Wales explored that question, considering
four angles: political judgments, expectations about the future,
judgments of responsibility and guilt, and quality-of-life
judgments.
Their study found that movies do significantly affect viewpoint and
mood based on the affective quality or mood promoted by the film.
In cases where the film was optimistic or happy, judgments of the
viewer afterwards on these four life-viewpoints were generally
positive. When viewers watched a sad or aggressive film, their
mood and judgment biases were generally negative.
Interestingly, these results proved to be consistent regardless of the
demographic background of those interviewed, suggesting that the
phenomenon is universal rather than isolated to specific social
constructs (Forgas, Moylan. 1987, December).
 Horror Movies
Horror movies are as old as movies themselves,
the first coming shortly after Edison's foray into
the realm of sexual titillation, violence and film.
Horror movies are described as "unsettling"
movies, movies that endeavor to elicit response
of fear, disgust, repugnance and horror from the
viewer. Darkness is the backdrop and terror the
emotion.
Why Horror Movies are So Appealing?
Why are horror movies of such broad appeal? The themes
of our nightmares, the psychological thrillers and terror,
the high level of focus, raise the dopamine level of our
brains, providing a type of pleasure; our minds are riveted,
our attention is captured, albeit through the our basest
instincts, and it forces us towards undivided attention.

We escape the world around us completely, and for 1 1/2

hours, nothing else matters. We can twist and squirm in our
seats, feel scared, afraid, terrorized, but remain in perfect
safety at the same time, in the low risk zones of a
comfortable, air-conditioned movie theater, or our own
living rooms.
 Horror movies and the characters therein, are etched upon our
conscious and subconscious. While watching the horror movie, our
fear level is raised, our sense of revulsion of the demonic is captivated,
and at the same time the inner fascination with the idea that it
somehow might have a basis in reality, absorbs our imagination.

We can contemplate and absorb the macabre, gently sucking on soda

and indulging in popcorn, putting ourselves in dire danger, and we
walk away feeling as if we accomplished something brave and daring.

Do horror and violent movies result in like or violent acts from

impressionable viewers? Film critic Astrid Bullen argues "no".
"Horror films actually have the opposite effect on normal people —
sick minds will commit atrocities anyway. Watching horror films lets
us encounter our secret fears, share them with other viewers, and
eliminate the terror by meeting it head-on."
 Emotional Bonding
Movies may be assimilated on different levels. Some individuals
may watch movies somewhat objectively, analytically, from a
distance, skeptically or passively. For others, deep emotionally
bonding and personal identity with films and film characters can
leave a deep impression on one's persona. This can true of adults,
teens, and children. Girls can especially become emotionally
bonded to movie characters. Movies can have a deep impact on
the personality and subconscious of those who tend to internalize
the plots and bond with the characters.
While some might view a movie in the same way that some
might look at fireworks, others become deeply involved,
disturbed or enraptured, and it is for these types of persons that
movies have the greatest emotional impact and for some movies
may be a contributing factor in mood disorders, other mental
health disorders, or even autism spectrum disorders.
Children's Movies, Separation Anxiety, and Childhood
Depression

For some children, G-rated movies, designed for children, can

contribute to depression or anxiety. Disney makes ample use of
emotional ploys such as separation anxiety to capture children's
interest. Every child may have a tinge of fear of being separated
from their parents. Every child experiences a bit of separation
anxiety on their first day of school, some more so than others.
Disney movies make a business out of capturing the heart of
children's worst fear, and then gently putting them back to
safety.

Intense emotions, endearing characters, coupled with cartoon

violence that are the backbone of the most popular children's
movies, open and close the heart emotions of a child.
Children's movies such as Bambi, Dumbo,
Pinocchio, Lion King, Wizard of Oz, and
many others, are noted for emotional scenes
and separation anxiety. Children's anxiety
levels rise and fall with each scene, and
linger on in the child's minds for months
and even years to come. One viewer of the
Wizard of Oz recalls, "That old witch
scared me so much that I had recurring
nightmares" for a month after seeing the
film each time. "I would awake screaming
and crying" (Prince, S. p.65).
One producer of educational films,
Maureen Gaffney of the Media Center for
Children stated in 1981 "It has been my
experience that the three films which have
always frightened children most are 'The
Wizard of Oz', 'Bambi' and 'Snow White'.
They see the wicked witch as an evil
mother figure and the Wizard as a
neglectful and threatening father figure.
She is not particularly against children
watching horror movies, but bemoans the
lack of content, describing them as "pure
sensation"
 Some children can take in much violence on the television
and movies, with apparently little outward effect. For others,
the slightest amount of violence can be overwhelming.
Additionally, it is possible that years of watching violence
can weaken the emotional and even physical structure of the
mind and its delicate brain cells and chemical balance, which
can contribute towards being susceptible to emotional or
psychological disorders later in life.

Children who don't learn to cope emotionally as they reach

teen years, can find themselves retreating into
NeverNeverLand of moviedom as a life-habit as they venture
into adulthood and even into old age, rather than learning to
face problems and deal with them successfully. The plethora
of fantasy films from childhood until adulthood as a way of
life, becomes a safe emotional retreat from even life's most
serious problems.
Some of the most enculturalized movies
mentioned such Bambi and Dumbo, even
Pinocchio, have been described in terms of
"horror movies for children". "Disney had
the most cunning formula, create the
highest illustrative art to make horror
movies for children," commented
Newsweek.
Patterns of thinking and emotion are
established. The emotional fiber of some
children, especially those with poor family
structure, can be eroded, subsequently
contributing to mental health difficulties
later in childhood or as teens and adults; it
can weaken the fiber of children or teens.
When a minor or major tragedy occurs in the
child's life, with the outcome so very
different from the knight-in-shining-armor
victory that they have become accustomed
to seeing, their life turn out to be the
antithesis of that idealistic fantasy, and some
children or teens might more easily give in
to suicidal despair.
Children and Education in Sex Through TV and Film

Around 30% of children and teenagers are

educated about sex through TV and movies. By the
age of 17, 50% of teenagers have had sexual
intercourse, and 9% have had intercourse before
the age of 13. Protecting children from potentially
damaging negative effects of television and movies
that might have is of utmost concern. One young
teen candidly asked a teacher with confusion and
concern, "What would happen if a women 'made
it' with a dog?" She had seen it (not graphically,
but within a broader story), in a TV movie, and it
was troubling or disturbing to her.
 At What Age do Children often do not discern the difference between fantasy and reality
Children Discern until they reach between 8 to 12 years of age. The Santa Claus fantasy
Between Fantasy and doesn't fully get decoded by some children until they are in the fourth

Reality? grade, about nine-years old.

It is difficult for most boys in Kindergarten to second grade to discern

that Spiderman, and sometimes Superman, are fantasy and not reality,
and usually they do not fully catch on until they reach about nine or ten
years old. It is around that time that most children get a fuller grasp on
the reality-fantasy concept, although some do so at an earlier age.
 Passivity, Films and movies, and Causes of
Depression
The passive nature of the medium of television itself, as well as
the pastime of regularly watching movies, can lend itself well
to the development of depression. Watching films is a passive,
rather than active form of entertainment. We do not entertain
ourselves, but allow ourselves to be entertained.

How many children and teenagers complain, "I'm bored". One

of the reasons so many feel bored is because they have become
used to turning on the electric current in the form of video
games, ipod-music, TV and movies to entertain themselves,
and without that extraneous artificial stimulation, there may be
little that so captures their attention, interest, and imagination.
Watching movies is passive, rather than active, and all-in-all,
as a way of life, can be considered to be a mind-dulling
activity. Movies as a way of life is buying into a commercial
system where the bottom line is profit, not substance.
Deliberate efforts are made by directors to add elements of
violence (including Disney cartoon movies), and sex to
capture the interest of the viewer and add to box-office
receipts.

For some children, it is possible that fast-paced television,

movies, and video games might contribute to the development
of ADHD, along with other contributing factors. The amount
of time that a child spends watching television or other forms
of the media in his or her early years is said to be directly
proportional to the incidence of ADHD later in life, according
to some well-documented and controlled studies. (See
CHADD website, under the section of clinical studies.)
Additionally, there are a lot of well-made,
entertaining nature films to purchase or
download, that they are as entertaining as
Disney for kids. Parents and teachers need
to swim upstream a little, put some thought
into what they are giving their children for
entertainment, and give thought to what
they are putting regularly into their pwn
minds as well, as it does affect mental
health.
Rather than downloading NetFlix night after
night, why not plan day trips to art and
historical museums, both locally and out of
state. Widen out your interests and tastes
beyond the commercial-culture which is
economically-driven rather than based on
higher values. Movies and films do have a
strong psychology and psychological impact
on the mind and on the deepest emotions.
How movies and films affect emotions
should be a part of the study of child and
adolescent psychology, child psychiatry,
emotions psychology and abnormal
psychology. It should also be considering to
be a factor in mental health difficulties
experienced by adults.
 Дякую за
увагу!

Wilson, K. "The Silent Era Of Horror Movies

- Silent Horror: The Golem, Cabinet of Dr
Caligari, Nosferatu"Horror Film History.
Retrieved from the Internet December 2012.
http://www.horrorfilmhistory.com/index.php?
pageID=1920s

Young, S. (2012, May 22). Movies and the

Mind. The Psychology of Movies, Movie-
Makers and Movie Viewers. Psychology
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https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/movi
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Dowling, C. (1981, March 22). "THE