By: Dr. Alejandro Sanchez, Provisional Psychologist Licensee- SARASOTA, FL Two weeks ago, I participated in an insightful panel discussion at the Keating Theatre in downtown Sarasota, delving into the memory play “Pictures from Home” by Sharr White (directed by Kate Alexander.) Inspired by Larry Sultan’s photo memoir with the same title, this stageplay presents a captivating blend of comedy and drama in its portrayal of family life. The focus is on Jean, Irving, and their son Larry, who documented their experiences through remarkable photographs. As the curtains rose, the play revealed itself not only as a clever and poignant story about an American family struggling to connect but also prompted deep reflection on the challenge of truly understanding the people closest to us.
Also, the play prompts us to question the very essence of photography—can a single photograph or a series of pictures ever completely depict reality? The play thrusts us into a story of perception, representation, and the inherent limitations of visual media. A photograph freezes a moment in time, but can it encapsulate the entirety of a person’s life, their complexities, and the intricate nuances that define their being?
Capturing Larry’s Parents
As Larry attempts to capture the lives of his parents, Irving and Jean, within the confines of their Southern California home, the limitations of his photography project become glaringly apparent. Throughout the play, we learn how a photograph provides a glimpse, a snapshot of a specific moment, but falls short of conveying the depth of experiences, emotions, and the evolving nature of identity over time. We learn that their lives are multifaceted, shaped by myriad experiences extending far beyond a single image’s frame. Larry’s journey to understand his parents unfolds as a perpetual one. It extends beyond frozen moments in photographs, requiring ongoing conversations, shared joys and challenges, and a deep dive into the layers of individual narratives. However, even with this continuous effort, true understanding remains elusive. Just like all humans, Larry’s parents are in a constant state of evolution, reshaped by new experiences and revelations.
The intricacies of relationships add another layer of complexity to this family drama. Beyond surface-level knowledge lies the necessity to explore perspectives, appreciate complexities, and accept the mysteries that may never be fully unraveled. Relationships are dynamic, influenced by communication, shared experiences, and the ability to empathize.
Memories as Vessels of the Past
Memories, often intertwined with photographs, emerge as subjective and selective narratives. They shape our perception of the past but may not capture the entirety of a person’s journey. Memories are filtered through emotions, biases, and interpretations, making them imperfect vessels for conveying the essence of someone else’s life.
Beyond Fragments to Understanding
In contemplating the elusive nature of proper understanding, the characters in the play grapple with the realization that photographs and memories, though valuable, offer mere glimpses. The essence of a life cannot be fully encapsulated through a single medium; it demands an ongoing, empathetic engagement with the ever-unfolding narrative of those we seek to understand. As we explore the profound questions embedded in “Pictures from Home,” we are reminded that the journey to understand the lives of those closest to us is not a destination but a continuous, evolving process. It calls for patience, empathy, and a willingness to embrace the complexities that make each life a unique and intricate tapestry.
Welcome back to our blog series on the profound influence of film on our cognition and emotions. In our previous entry, we delved into the captivating neurological underpinnings of movie-watching, uncovering the intricate workings of our minds when immersed in cinematic experiences. Today, we embark on the next chapter of our exploration, shifting our gaze to the fascinating intersection of social and emotional aspects that drive movie-watching encounters. In this sequel to our blog series, we will delve deeper into the influence of movies on viewers by highlighting various approaches that shed light on the motivations behind consuming media, with a specific focus on films.
One prominent approach is the “uses and gratifications” perspective, which acknowledges that people have diverse motivations when watching films (Greenwood & Long, 2014). These motivations can range from seeking entertainment and diversion to gaining insights into the social world or forming emotional connections with characters. Essentially, these motivations can be summarized by the para-social interaction theory, initially proposed by Horton and Wohl in 1956. This theory explains the phenomenon of viewers experiencing a sense of interaction with on-screen performers, even though the relationship is one-sided and non-reciprocal (Hartmann & Goldhoorn, 2011).
Film consumption during adolescence serves multiple purposes, including mood management, exploration of identities, and validation of experiences. Movies also play a role in the developmental tasks of emerging adults by facilitating the creation of new prototypes for a more encompassing life experience, desired self-images, and feared self-images. In the early stages of studying film’s impact on emerging adulthood, researchers like Markus and Nurius (1986) proposed a theory that adolescents rely on film and media representations to shape their expectations and limitations regarding their future selves. This theory explains why surveyed adolescents were likelier to believe that being happy, attractive, and famous were attainable outcomes than being poor, unhealthy, or unhappy. These ideals were thought to be influenced by media portrayals that were observed and retained by adolescents.
Building upon these theories, Steele and Brown (1995) developed a “media practice model” that suggests teenagers do not passively accept media images and messages. Instead, they actively make deliberate decisions that influence their selection, interpretation, and adoption of media and film ideals. Recent research has expanded on these concepts and found that self-serving biases can be adaptive and motivating when the gap between one’s actual self and ideal self is flexible. Adolescents may find solace and affirmation by connecting with film characters who resonate with their experiences.
Previous research has primarily focused on movie themes and their ability to evoke emotions in viewers, particularly negative emotions like fear and sadness. One intriguing finding suggests that exposure to movies depicting hardship or loss can reduce viewers’ unease about their problems, as the problems portrayed in the movies may appear less daunting. Additionally, studies have revealed that exposure to “darker” films exploring death and destruction can help individuals cope with their anxieties surrounding mortality by allowing them to overcome threats vicariously from a safe distance (Greenwood & Long, 2014).
Greenwood and Long (2014) integrated various ideas from prior research to understand how individuals attribute personal significance to movies and uncover film’s social and emotional power. They conducted a study involving emerging adults, asking them to identify a memorable film and explain its meaningfulness. The researchers hypothesized that these meaningful movies might be viewed multiple times, evoke mixed emotions (particularly in films with somber themes), and be associated with life transitions and notable events. The study reported on critical aspects of movie viewing experiences, including emotional valence, social context, and frequency of viewings. It also explored psychologically significant schemas that films seemed to activate. The researchers identified three main themes and subthemes that distinguished most viewing experiences: life lessons, character connections, and social relationships (Greenwood & Long, 2014). Contrary to the aforementioned hypothesis, the findings revealed that memorable movies predominantly elicited positive and mixed emotions. Additionally, only one-third of the participants reported that their memorable movie was linked to significant life events.
The study findings revealed interesting patterns regarding participants’ movie preferences and the impact of these movies on their lives. Dramatic movies were the most chosen genre, indicating a preference for emotionally engaging narratives. Furthermore, many participants reported watching their selected movie multiple times, suggesting a desire for repeated experiences. Most participants stated that the initial viewing of their chosen movie had a profound emotional impact on their lives. Importantly, this initial impact was found to be significantly associated with the perception of ongoing emotional impact. This suggests that the emotional resonance experienced during the first viewing can shape how individuals perceive and be affected by the movie over time.
Regarding the themes that emerged from the participants’ descriptions, the most prevalent theme was life lessons. Several subthemes were identified within this theme, including inspiration, social comparison, coping, and negative contemplation. These findings suggest that viewers often seek meaningful insights and personal growth through their chosen movies. The second most frequent theme was character connections, particularly associated with repeated viewings. This suggests that viewers develop strong emotional bonds with certain characters, prompting them to revisit the movie to reconnect with those characters. Within the theme of social relationships, the subthemes of joy and gratitude were the most prominent. This indicates that viewers derive joy and a sense of gratitude from the social connections forged through shared movie experiences. It is worth noting that the movies recalled by the participants in this study were likely influenced by factors such as recent popularity, box office success in the previous decade, target audience preferences (teenagers and young women predominated in the sample), or other developmental considerations (Greenwood & Long, 2014).
When Roger Ebert stated, “The movies are like a machine that generates empathy,” he expressed the idea that films have a unique ability to evoke and cultivate empathy in viewers. Ebert recognized that movies possess a powerful mechanism for connecting audiences with the experiences, emotions, and perspectives of the characters depicted on screen. In lab settings, movies have been used as a remarkable tool to inspire and influence while generating empathy, compassion, and commitment. Movies profoundly impact physicians, inspiring them to become better doctors by fostering empathy, compassion, and a more robust dedication to patient care (Shapiro & Rucker, 2004). This influence also extends to medical students, as highlighted by Shapiro and Rucker’s study revealing that movies serve as a crucial source of knowledge for 2nd-year medical students, particularly in understanding electroshock therapy. Additionally, researchers suggest that watching movies can effectively trigger the Don Quixote Effect—an ability to perceive one’s life in a broader and more significant context.
Another explanation for empathy comes from the concept of embodied simulation, introduced by Vittorio Gallese. Embodied simulation involves neural firing patterns known as semantic pointers, which encode sensory, motor, and emotional information. For instance, an insult consists of the words spoken and encompasses the accompanying tone of voice, facial expression, and offensive gestures. When empathizing with a character who experiences embarrassment or insults, individuals engage in a mental simulation, allowing them to directly comprehend the emotional impact of being insulted. This process helps foster a deeper understanding of the hurtful nature of such experiences.
By immersing ourselves in movies’ narratives and visual storytelling, we can form emotional connections with the characters and gain insights into their lives, struggles, and triumphs. This process of identification and understanding allows us to step into the shoes of others and see the world from their vantage point. It encourages us to relate to their joys, sorrows, fears, and hopes, even if their circumstances differ. Through the cinematic medium, with its combination of visuals, sound, performances, and storytelling, movies can transport us into different lives, cultures, and situations. They can awaken our empathy and expand our understanding of the human experience.
In essence, Ebert’s statement suggests that movies function as a mechanism or tool that activates and enhances our capacity for empathy. They bridge the fictional world portrayed on screen and our reality, enabling us to develop a deeper sense of connection and compassion for others.
Reference List
Greenwood, D., & Long, C. R. (2014). When Movies Matter. Journal of Adolescent Research, 30(5), 625-650. doi:10.1177/0743558414561296
Hartmann, T., & Goldhoorn, C. (2011). Horton and Wohl revisited: Exploring viewers’ experience of parasocial interaction. Journal of communication, 61(6), 1104-1121.
Markus, H., & Nurius, P. (1986). Possible selves. American psychologist, 41(9), 954.
Shapiro, J., & Rucker, L. (2004). The Don Quixote Effect: Why Going to the Movies Can Help Develop Empathy and Altruism in Medical Students and Residents. Families, Systems, & Health, 22(4), 445–452. https://doi.org/10.1037/1091-7527.22.4.445
Steele, J. R., & Brown, J. D. (1995). Adolescent room culture: Studying media in the context of everyday life. Journal of youth and adolescence, 24(5), 551-576.
The Psychologists at Davenport Psychology were voted Best Psychologist in Venice, FL again in the Best of Venice 2023.
If you are looking for a psychologist in Venice, FL, you may be overwhelmed by the other options available. How do you choose the best psychologist for your needs? How do you find a psychologist who is experienced, compassionate, and trustworthy?
One way to narrow down your search is to look at the ratings and reviews of other clients who have used the services of different psychologists in Venice, FL. This can give you an idea of how satisfied they were with their treatment, how they felt about their therapist, and what kind of results they achieved.
Another way to find the best psychologist in Venice, FL is to look at the awards and recognitions that they have received from their peers and their community. This can indicate that they have a high level of professionalism, expertise, and reputation in their field.
Based on these criteria, one of the best psychologists in Venice, FL is Davenport Psychology. Davenport Psychology is a private practice that offers a range of psychological services for individuals, couples, families, and groups. They have been voted Best Psychologist in Venice, FL again in the Best of Venice 2023, an annual survey conducted by the Venice Gondolier Sun newspaper.
Davenport Psychology was founded by Dr. Charles R. Davenport, a licensed psychologist with over 20 years of experience in clinical psychology. Dr. Davenport specializes in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), a proven and effective approach for treating various mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, phobias, OCD, anger, and more.
Dr. Davenport is also trained as a relational psychodynamic clinician which aims to help people understand their unconscious thoughts, feelings, and motivations that may influence their behavior and relationships. It aims to help clients understand how their early relationships have shaped their sense of self and their patterns of relating to others. By exploring the unconscious meanings and motivations behind their thoughts, feelings and behaviors, clients can gain insight into their current difficulties and develop more adaptive ways of coping. Relational psychodynamic therapy also emphasizes the therapeutic relationship as a source of healing and growth, where clients can experience a genuine and empathic connection with their therapist.
Another area of particular interest for Dr. Davenport is working with individuals who are Gifted, Learning Disabled or Both Gifted and Learning Disabled.
In addition to Dr. Davenport, Davenport Psychology has a team of highly qualified and experienced doctors who offer different areas of expertise and specialties. They include:
Dr. Swapnil Gohil Dr. Swapnil Gohil is a caring clinician and astute diagnostician who provides Christian counseling, individual therapy and couples counseling at Davenport Psychology Sarasota, FL and Venice, FL offices. He completed his undergraduate schooling at Rutgers University New Brunswick and received his Doctorate from Regent University located in Virginia Beach. With extensive training in integrated behavioral healthcare and experience working with a wide range of mental health issues, Dr. Gohil is well-equipped to help his patients find positive change. He is also certified in couple therapy and Christian integration and has experience in various types of psychological testing. Dr. Gohil utilizes the biopsychosocial approach when working with different populations and cultures and believes in creating an alchemy of science and practice while providing care. Dr. Gohil is a Post Doctoral Psychology Fellow working under the supervision of Dr. Charles Davenport.
Dr. Alejandro Sanchez is a compassionate and skilled doctor who received his Doctor of Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He integrates a variety of therapeutic approaches, including humanistic, cognitive-behavioral (CBT), trauma-focused, dialectal (DBT), and relational life therapy to help patients find positive change. Dr. Sanchez works with individuals who may feel overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, disorganized or experiencing relationship problems. He understands how frustrating and defeating these battles can be and aims to work with these individuals to envision and attain the quality of life they have always hoped to achieve. Dr. Sanchez provides individual psychotherapy for a broad range of adult mental health problems and tailors his treatment to his patient’s particular circumstances. He unwaveringly believes that one can hope and experience joy and fulfillment despite challenges. Dr. Sanchez is a Provisional Psychologist Licensee working under the supervision of Dr. Charles Davenport.
Her therapeutic approach is rooted in strengths-based, relationship-based, and cognitive-behavioral theories. She strives to understand how her patients’ environments and experiences shape their self-perception, relationships, and worldview.
Believing in the power of the therapeutic relationship, Dr. Downs uses it as a tool to help patients gain deeper awareness and insight into their emotions, behaviors, and relationship patterns. Her ability to relate to and build rapport with her patients and their parents often results in a powerful therapeutic relationship that contributes to lasting change.
Dr. Downs takes pride in her ability to see the big picture and utilize creative, innovative interventions to help children and families reach their greatest potential. She offers individual and group therapy, parent support, and comprehensive psychological evaluations.
Welcome to the first entry in our three-part blog series exploring how movies can profoundly impact our thoughts and emotions. It is no secret that movies can powerfully influence how we feel and think. They engage our senses, feelings, and imagination in a way that few other forms of media can. Research and therapeutic settings have found that movies elicit emotions effectively (Greenwood & Long, 2015). This is partly due to their immersive qualities, which can enhance our responses to emotional stimuli (Gross & Levenson, 1995). Through the experience of watching a movie, our attention is captured, and a series of cognitive, perceptual, and emotional processes are activated.
Filmmakers use various cinematic techniques, such as montage, continuity editing, and close-ups to immerse and captivate audiences while watching movies. These techniques impact how viewers respond to movies cognitively and emotionally (Hasson et al., 2008). However, it still needs to be fully understood how these techniques engage our cognitive processes and drive our attention, thoughts, and feelings (Shimamura, 2013). With the rise of psychocinematics, there has been increasing curiosity about the psychological underpinnings of a viewer’s movie-watching experience (Shimamura, 2013). In the following two entries in this blog series, we will explore how movies affect our emotions and thoughts and how they can be used in research and therapeutic settings.
Your Brain at the Movies
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technology has allowed researchers to observe brain activity during movie watching, providing insights into how our brains process films. During movie watching, various brain circuits are activated in mental processes like vision, memory, language, emotion, and decision-making. Studies have shown that individuals are often absorbed into movies, feeling as if they are part of the scenes themselves. This suggests that movies require the whole brain to work together to understand the plot and follow the narrative.
Neuroscientists have coined the term neurocinematics to investigate the neural underpinnings of movie watching. Using a statistical method called “inter-subject correlations” (ISC), researchers like Uri Hasson have analyzed how different movies evoke coherent brain responses in participants. In a study by Hasson et al. (2008), participants watched four movie clips while their brains were scanned in an fMRI machine. The results showed that not all movies elicited the same level of coherent brain activity, with some inducing more brain activity in more participants than others.
The Hasson et al. (2008) study observed brain activity during movie watching and asked participants to view four clips. These clips consisted of a T.V. episode of Alfred Hitchcock’s Bang! You’re Dead (1961), the opening 30 minutes of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly directed by Sergio Leone (1966), an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm, and a one-take shot of people walking around Washington Square Park near New York University. Participants watched these clips while the fMRI scanned their brains as they lay on their backs in an MRI scanner (Hasson et al., 2004). The video clips were shown with an LCD projector on a screen behind the participants’ heads and were viewed through a mirror displayed over their eyes.
Bang! You’re Dead evoked coherent brain activity in over 65% of the cortex. A clip from The Good, Bad, and the Ugly elicited coherent activity in 45% of the cortex but much less than (18%) for Curb Your Enthusiasm. Finally, the unedited, one-take segment-of-reality video induced high ISC in a small fraction of the cortex (less than 5%). Less activity was detected in a T.V. episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm and in a single-take video clip of people walking around Washington Square Park. These findings indicated that some movies involve similar brain processes in all subjects, whereas others are less successful (Hasson et al., 2008).
The unedited clip evoked less ISC than Bang! You’re Dead and The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, mainly in brain regions beyond those concerned with basic sensory processing of visual and auditory information (Hasson et al., 2008). These findings indicate that more than a simple video clip of people walking around Washington Square Park is required to activate participants’ brain activity. One reason could be the need for a directorial aim or intervention from a filmmaker in the unedited one-shot. Nevertheless, Hasson et al. (2008) proposed that the four clips contrast in their level of aesthetic control, and the results express significant implications for filmmakers and film theory. The Hitchcock clip was able to elicit many responses from many different brain regions by turning them on and off at the same time across all participants. This is a powerful indicator of Hitchcock’s masterful ability to manipulate audiences’ imaginations through suspense and visually unique cinematic language.
Understanding Neurological Pathways in the Emotional Processing of Film
The “limbic system theory,” proposed by Paul D. MacLean in 1955, suggests an extensive neural network within the human brain governs emotional processing and suppression. Despite the theory’s long-standing status, ongoing debates about its validity and the specific brain regions involved continue to this day. However, researchers have reached a consensus that the limbic system comprises four main parts: the hippocampus, hypothalamus, amygdala, and thalamus. These structures are located in a horseshoe-shaped formation along the border of the cortex and occupy a significant portion of the brain, making them easier to visualize with fMRI.
Understanding the function and placement of these four parts is crucial when considering aspects such as emotional suppression, regulation, and reappraisal. Technological advancements have made it possible to identify the foci of activation in the brain under different laboratory conditions, and this has shed light on the neurobiological aspects of emotions and cognitions.
Karama, Armony, and Beauregard (2011) conducted a study using fMRI technology to examine the neural pathways thought to make up the limbic system. The study included 20 healthy male participants who were scanned while watching film excerpts aimed at inducing different emotions. The primary objective of the study was to observe how the various parts of the limbic system react during three distinct emotional states: disgust, amusement, and sexual arousal. The researchers used visual data obtained from fMRI scans to identify the areas of the brain that were most active during the study. The participants watched film excerpts containing scenes of mutilation to elicit disgust, comedy films to elicit amusement, and visual clips of male/female sexual interaction to elicit sexual arousal. A neutral condition was also included to establish a baseline for comparison purposes. The neutral condition involved watching film excerpts that depicted mundane human activities such as carpentry.
The findings of the study indicated the existence of a broader neural network (the limbic system) involved in the processing of emotional and visual stimuli. Certain areas within the cortex and limbic system demonstrated increased activation during the three emotional conditions compared to the neutral condition. This suggests that the limbic system is involved in emotional processing and regulation. Furthermore, greater activation during the emotional clips suggests a potential direction for future studies examining selective attention. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the neural mechanisms of emotional processing and regulation within the limbic system concerning movie-watching.
Understanding neurological pathways in the emotional processing of movie-watching is a crucial research area. A film can drive an individual’s emotions by instilling suspense, laughter, sadness, fear, and astonishment along the way. Through exploring the current literature surrounding how movies impact cognitions, future blog entries aim to provide more insights into why movies are a powerful vehicle of emotion elicitation, their social impact, and how they can be a helpful supplemental tool in the therapy room.
