Movie Analysis
Kassin, S., Fein, S., & Markus, H. R. (2016). Social psychology (10th ed.). reference the book within your response not just at the end as well as other references.
One of the interesting things about social psychology is that its concepts can be observed and analyzed in so many contexts: regular daily life, current events, television shows, movies, etc. Your task in this optional extra-credit assignment is to identify and analyze in a movie one of the social psychology concepts we’ve studied. Select one of the movies listed below or another of your own choice. Think about how you intend to relate the movie themes and plot to a particular social psychology concept or theory. It’s important that you select a movie that lends itself to illustrating the social psychology concept you want to describe.
Your task in the movie analysis is to analyze the application of a target social psychological phenomenon in a movie. View the film at least once (although two viewings offers a distinct advantage), then highlight how relevant social psychological phenomena are depicted in the film. In your movie analysis, you should:
- introduce the movie and briefly describe the relevant scene ( ½ to 1 page)
- describe in detail the social psychological principle and its sub-concepts that you believe are relevant ( ½ to 1 page)
- elaborate on how the selected scene conforms and/or fails to conform to the social psychological principle you have identified (2 to 3 pages)
- conclude with a short discussion to tie things together (1 page)
The movie analysis will be approximately 4 to 6 pages (NOT including title, abstract [if included], or reference pages). That APA style paper must be organized, presented, and referenced (in text and full citations).
Movies that illustrate social psychological phenomena:
- Being John Malkovich
- Examines person perception, self, attitudes, attitude change, interpersonal attraction, personal relationships, gender
- Summer of Sam
- Deals with person perception, prejudice, social influence, aggression
- Boys Don’t Cry
- Issues dealing with prejudice, gender, discrimination, attitudes, attitude change, person perception, self, social influence, interpersonal attraction, personal relationships, helping behavior, aggression
- Pretty Woman
- Addresses person perception, attitude change, interpersonal attraction, personal relationships, gender, helping behavior, aggression
- American Beauty
- Deals with social cognition, person perception, self, attitude change, interpersonal attraction, personal relationships, aggression
- Philadelphia
- Examines social cognition, person perception, self, attitude change, prejudice, personal relationships, aggression
- The Abyss
- Deals with social cognition, self, attitudes, social influence, personal relationships, group behavior, helping behavior, aggression
- Fight Club
- Addresses person perception, attitudes, social influence, group behavior, aggression
- Shaft (old one)
- Issues with person perception, attitudes, prejudice, aggression, helping behavior
- Eat, Drink, Man, Woman
- Examines social cognition, person perception, self, attitudes, personal relationships
- Cast Away
- Issues dealing with social cognition, self, attitudes and attitude change
- Remember the Titans
- Addresses social cognition, person perception, attitude change, prejudice, interpersonal attraction, group behavior
- Quiz Show
- Examines social cognition, person perception, attitudes and attitude change
- Twelve Angry Men
- Issues with social cognition, person perception, attitudes, prejudice, social influence, group behavior, aggression, helping behavior
- The Joy Luck Club
- Addresses social cognition, person perception, self, attitudes, and personal relationships
- The Boiler Room
- Examines attitudes and attitude change, aggression, social influence, group behavior
- Mississippi Burning
- Includes group dynamics, prejudice, social cognition, attitude change
- Lord of the Flies
- Addresses group behavior, self, attitudes, helping, aggression, social cognition
