How Does Watching Movies Influence Your Mind? The Film Psychology

We've all been there- laughing our heads off at a comedy movie, gripping the seats or hands of the person sitting next to us during a scary flick, crying at the heartbreaking ending, or having our hearts racing in a mystery-crime thriller movie. Cinema has a way of getting inside our heads. Besides entertainment, it's a powerful psychological tool that can influence our emotions, behaviour, and attitude. Let’s understand the power of film and its psychology.

Movies have a remarkable power to elicit any desired emotion from the audience, especially when they employ cinematic elements such as background music, an engaging storyline, an illusion of motion and visual aesthetics. ^[1] Ever walked out of a movie feeling like it’s changed you?

A study conducted in 2011, showed that watching a sad film made the viewers sadder and less aroused, and a similar effect was noticed with watching a horror film, reported to increase the emotion of fear and arousal level. ^[2] For example, most of us cried when Jack died in “Titanic” a 1997 film starring the legend, Leonardo DiCaprio. Study shows that there is a connection between movies and our emotions. It’s called the “Mirroring Rule”, just as when you see someone smile on the screen you will find yourself smiling as well or when a sad scene comes, we mimic the character’s emotion. ^[3] This emotional manipulation by the films leaves an imprint on us and makes us feel things more intensely than we ever thought.

Films act as a guide, not just by stirring our emotions but they blurring the line between fiction and reality, thus inspiring and influencing us to act. We try to replicate the actions and decisions of charm romantic lead or even sometimes we get influenced by the choices of the villain, films have the power to change our behaviour & attitude in social life.

A study done in 2017 showed that parental guidance and control of films, pornographic films, violent films, smoking in films, romantic films, musical videos and comedy films have a strong hold on both the covert and overt behaviour of an adolescent.^[4] Films can trigger negative traits too. On the other hand, a 2018 study found that children who watched a Disney clip of the Pixar movie “Cars” exhibited similar helping behaviour toward their friends afterward.

Good or bad- films always have some effect on the viewer’s beliefs, attitude and their lookout on life. For example, the movie “Taare Zameen Par” deals with the sensitive issue of a child suffering from dyslexia, and the Oscar-winning movie “Life of Pi” tells us the story of a young man surviving in the middle of nowhere. Such films educate & inspire us. It can transform how we think about a person, gender, love, understanding of mental illness, politics, and society.

Yes, therapists have used them as a relaxing and mentally soothing activity. In this, the patients are exposed to the film’s character who might be having similar emotional experiences, which can help the patient to look at the situation from a different perspective, providing new ways of coping.^[6] 

MedBound Times connected with Dr. Pretty Duggar Gupta, Consultant Psychiatrist, Aster Hospital Whitefield, Bengaluru to share her expert insights on Cinematherapy

Dr. Pretty Duggar Gupta says, “As a psychiatrist, I view it as a valuable adjunct in the treatment of stress, anxiety, and depression. This can be cathartic, offering insight into personal struggles or providing a safe space to process difficult emotions. Cinematherapy can also help in relaxation by offering distraction, emotional release, and a sense of connection to others, reducing feelings of isolation. The emotional impact of films can stimulate empathy, encourage self-reflection, and even foster personal insights” 

On a personal note, she recalls a patient who was dealing with a significant amount of social anxiety. After discussing her interests, she suggested watching movies that featured strong, independent characters who navigated their own social challenges. One movie that stood out to her was ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’, which beautifully portrays themes of friendship, self-discovery, and overcoming fears. The positive, uplifting nature of the film, coupled with its focus on personal growth, helped her feel empowered. Over time, she felt more relaxed and open to engaging with social situations.

The film industry is so huge and movies have become such an integrated part of our lives, having a greater influence on us which cannot be ignored. So, the next time you sit down to watch a movie, remember: you're not just escaping reality—you're engaging with a psychological experience that can shape who you are and how you see the world. 

References:

1. Psychetal. "The Influence Movies Have on Us." Psychetal, accessed January 8, 2025. https://www.psychetal.com/post/the-influence-movies-have-on-us.

2. Droit-Volet, Sylvie, and Anne Wilk. "Emotion and Time Perception: Effects of Film-Induced Mood." Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience 5 (2011): 33. Accessed January 8, 2025. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/integrative-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnint.2011.00033/full.

3. Hasson, Uri, Ohad Landesman, Barbara Knappmeyer, Ignacio Vallines, Nava Rubin, and David J. Heeger. "Precis of 'Flicker: Your Brain on Movies'." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108, no. 45 (2011): 18255-18256. Accessed January 8, 2025. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8553010/.

4. "Assessing the Impact of Modern Movies on Students—A Prospective Study." CORE, accessed January 9, 2025. https://core.ac.uk/reader/234691270.

5. Malik, Preeti. "Bollywood as Witness: Changing Perceptions of Mental Illness in India (1913–2010)." International Journal of Applied Psychoanalytic Studies 8, no. 1 (2011): 52-67. Accessed January 9, 2025. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/aps.290.

6. Bhugra, Dinesh, and Antonio Ventriglio. "Through the Looking Glass: A Scoping Review of Cinema and Video Therapy." Frontiers in Psychology 12 (2022): 8786706. Accessed January 9, 2025. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8786706/.

7. "Psychoanalytic Studies." Wiley Online Library, accessed January 9, 2025. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/aps.290.

By Dr. Disha Merlyn Mathias