Why Movie Plots Affect Us
In order to understand the effects of movies, a multidiscipli-
nary approach is needed. The following explorations therefore
draw from theories in several relevant disciplines.Elaineobsessed over her paper. She needed a little vaca-
tion from her troubles. A lighthearted film kept her from spi-
raling into a more depressed mood. This is not about escaping
from problems. Watching certain movies can help us approach
a solution with less emotional involvement and obsessing. It
creates an opening for a fresh and creative perspective.
New hypotheses in the science of evolution suggest that
early humans may have increased their odds of survival by
learning from their mistakes. Pain plays a key role in this
process. And just as physical pain indicates that there is some-
thing wrong in our body, emotional pain, such as worries and
depressed feelings, might indicate a need for learning from a
mistake we made. Instead of using these feelings as an indica-
tor for a need to make improvements and focusing on finding
creative ways to resolve a problem, we often get stuck in obses-
sive negative thinking, which can lead to spiraling hopeless-
ness and depression. Elaine stopped this cycle early and was
able to access her creativity, which had been blocked by her
negative beliefs about herself.Aliceexperienced emotional release when she watched a
sad movie. Her tears opened a door through which she saw that
her suffering would not last forever. This created a break in the
overwhelming flood of emotions she had been feeling, which
allowed her natural grief and despair to start the healing
process.
Most people say they feel better after they cry. Crying
makes people feel better because emotional tears help rid the
body of chemicals that build up as a result of stress. Emotional
tears (produced by showing sad movies) have more protein and“Trust in yourself. Your
perceptions are often far
more accurate than you
are willing to believe.”
Claudia Black24 E-Motion Picture Magic