P SYCHOLOGY IN F ILM : A L IBERAL A RTS C APSTONE C OURSE
I NT RO D UC T IO N
Dowling College’s Psychology in Film course is designed
as part of our senior seminar liberal arts CORE, a
requirement for all students regardless of major. As such it
is a “capstone” liberal arts course, yet has no specific
prerequisites. Both psychology majors and non-majors may
take the course, including those who have never taken a
single psychology course. Thus, the course uniquely has to
have content of interest to majors while being entirely
accessible to non-majors, and also must be at an advanced
seminar level. This poster describes how I introduce a
variety of topics from psychology to develop critical and
creative thinking and analysis, utilizing both popular and
independent film. As a college with a high percentage of
commuter students, we are unable to schedule a separate
viewing session where all students could attend, requiring
innovation in classroom format, since screening time must
be scheduled during class time. I address this with a
balance of clips and carefully selected entire films, and I
discuss guiding principles for this balance. When showing
an entire film, I interleave lecture with viewing and
discussion. The poster describes this format with specific
examples for each of 14 films, along with suggestions based
on feedback from students as to which films are best
C O U RS E P HIL O S O P HY AND
At Dowling senior seminars are designed as a capstone
to our liberal arts “core.” This core curriculum dictated
several constraints for my course, which I believe enhance
the course’s usefulness for a variety of majors. The core at
Dowling is a college-wide requirement containing, for four
year students, 33 credits of specially designed courses that
cover the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
Instead of a menu of any course from a department,
students fulfill general education through a limited
selection of special core courses from five areas (which
include both historical and contemporary content): World
Civilizations, Modes of Artistic Expression, Dynamics of
Contemporary Societies, Nature of the Universe, and
Varieties of Human Experience. One overarching goal is to
have students be “knowledgeable with respect to the
psychological and sociological dimensions of the human
experience as assessed from different cultural
perspectives” (Dowling College, 2008, p. 44). Although
taught by faculty from specific departments, every course
is designed to be multi-disciplinary in perspective and to
have no non-core prerequisites. The Psychology in Film
F O R MA T AND
 14 week semester
 one 2 hour and 41 minute session each week
 primarily commuting students, no intranet facility for watching films, all viewing must be during course time
shown in excerpt. I describe both individual and group
projects, and suggest theories and topics for each film,
along with specific films that have “tested” as well suited
for the class. I include a brief discussion of types of films I
have found that have not worked as well. Although it
seems as if it would be a simple task to pick appropriate
films that include psychological or psychosocial content, it
actually took several years to vet a rotation of films that: (a)
students consistently find enjoyable, (b) align with desired
topics and personality theories, and (c) stand up to
repeated viewing on the part of the instructor! This list
includes both English and non-English language films, both
well-known (e.g. The Soloist, used to cover schizophrenia
and homelessness) as well as less well known films (e.g. the
Thai film Beautiful Boxer, used to introduce transgender
issues, cross-cultural differences in handling gender non-
conformity, and issues arising from life in a developing
country). This poster should be of use to those faculty who
already use film in traditional courses, and especially to
those who love film who are thinking of developing a
dedicated psychology and film class open to both majors
and non-majors.
C U R RI C UL A R P L A C E ME NT
course, which I co-designed with William Indick, is part of
our core’s final senior seminar series. These are special
topics courses limited to 18 students, who have earned at
least 90 credits and have completed all other core
requirements. All students must select one of these
“capstone” core courses, and again, there are no pre-
requisites. Although in-depth, they are open to students
from any major, and so must also include introductory
material, which represents a unique challenge and
opportunity. Typically about half of the students are
psychology majors, and the other half range the gamut,
including aviation, business, and education majors. Other
college-wide requirements for these senior core seminars
include student presentations and a 15+ page paper.
For assigned readings, I provide brief chapters on the
basic theories, and a book by Indick (2004) written for a
general audience interested in psychology and film.
Students are expected to do additional independent
research for their papers in the areas that are of interest to
them.
C O NS T R A I NT S
 M ARCUS C. T YE , P H .D., A SSOCIATE P ROFESSOR

C O U RS E O B JE C T IV E S
OBJECTIVES
 be accessible to non-majors and those
with zero credits of psychology
 remain interesting and relevant to
psychology majors
 broaden all students’ appreciation of film,
and further develop those students who
are already interested in screenwriting or
film studies (while we have very few
majors at Dowling in these areas,
occasionally students taking this course
have extensive background in film studies)
AND DESIGN
DESIGN: IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES & METHODS
 provide introductory-psychology level lectures about each theory, theorist, and
major topic
 focus on limited aspects of classic personality theories that can be creatively
applied to film:
 Freud and the ego defense mechanisms
 Jung and archetypes
 more briefly: Maslow & self-actualization; May & anxiety; Rank & the hero
 include contemporary research on specific topics and relate to issues that are
of general social and cultural interest:
 schizophrenia (SMI, MICA, and homelessness)
 addiction in higher functioning populations
 gender role conformity / transgender issues
 cross-cultural issues incl. migration, acculturation
 neuroscience of mirror neurons
 for each of the above topics, provide some historical information or theoretical
depth beyond that covered in courses psychology majors are likely to have
taken, including: introductory psychology, personality theories, developmental,
and abnormal
 spend class time applying elements of theories and research students may have
previously studied to characters, interpersonal dynamics, and issues illustrated
in the films that are being shown
 illustrate how psychotherapy is portrayed and mis-portrayed in film:
 the therapist as friend
 counter-transference and boundary issues
 how films rarely show empirically supported treatments such as cognitive
behavioral therapy, preferring instead psychodynamic therapy
 seminar discussions of film as an artistic medium, encouraging all students, and
particularly students with extensive film interests, to compare and contrast
with films and directors they are familiar with, including:
 cinematography
 editing
 how “pan and scan” changes the composition of a 16:9 or wider format
 use of music
 how the films we show fit in various genres and traditions
 identify similarities in big studio financed Hollywood productions,
contrasting the stylistic choices often made in films designed for
commercial success with those originating outside of major studios and
from other countries
 identify the influence of Hollywood style on films from directors in
different cultures, such as the biopic “format,” clear endings (often happy
endings), deletion of complicating details (e.g. Jonathan Nash’s divorce is
deleted to conform to a “love conquers all” theme)
 discuss how rare it is to see an unresolved ending, or unhappy ending,
process student frustration at films that end bleakly, such as Requiem for a
Dream, in the context of “conditioning” to Hollywood-style happy endings

A S S IG N ME NT S AND G RA DI N G
term paper  15-20 pages / 4400-5800 words (15 pages=B, 20+ pages an A, depending of course on quality)
70% of grade  students select two major theorists or perspectives, and analyze a film of their own choosing
 students submit copies of the first few pages of each scholarly source as evidence of library research

group presentation  groups are assigned a film and given suggestions on what to present
20% of grade  they cannot duplicate any material that has already been covered 2 or more weeks prior to their
presentations; they are allowed to present in greater depth or on some new aspect if they want to
use a topic previously covered

attendance &  includes pop-quizzes based on assigned readings (each counts for half of an attendance)
participation  occasional short special assignments, worth half of an attendance, such as not watching TV for a
10% of grade week and observing how long they were able to last without TV (thoughtful and thorough written
analysis on these can make up for half a missed quiz or a quarter of a missed class)
 D OWLING C OLLEGE , O AKDALE , NY 11769

F IL MS A NA L Y ZE D IN CLASS
MAJOR TOPIC(s) &
FILM & FORMAT TEACHING NOTES & ADDITIONAL TOPICS
THEORIST/PERSPECTIVE
coverage of schizophrenia, serious mental illness, MICA,
entire film: homelessness
The Soloist (2009, 117min) if presenting A Beautiful Mind, I will also discuss departures
introduction to images of insanity
or from Nash’s real life experience (e.g. divorce, homeless not
A Beautiful Mind (2001, portrayed) as well as the artistic license of using visual images
135min) to portray auditory hallucinations

entire film: Freudian theory focusing on ego defense mechanisms, brief

American Beauty (1999, mention of the Oedipus complex and psychosexual stages of
122min) or development; placing Freud in historical context
Freud & ego defenses
Fight Club (1999, 139min) if presenting Ordinary People, include lecture material on
or transference and counter-transference, film preference for
psychodynamic over CBT psychotherapy and portraying
Ordinary People (1980,
therapist as client’s friend/father substitute
124min)
appx. 20 min. shown from multiple brief clips of the Wizard of
Oz, illustrating day residue, latent and manifest content, and
excerpts from: numerous archetypes: e.g., wise old man/mentor, child,
Wizard of Oz (1939, 101min.) animus (Tin Man, Cowardly Lion and Scarecrow), shadow, etc.
Jung & archetypes from the
collective unconscious and appx. 3 min. shown from Sleeping Beauty, illustrating gender
stereotypes, Freudian sexual imagery (camera penetrating the
Sleeping Beauty (1959, 75min)
“red, red rose”)
often include Rank / Campbell & the hero’s journey
the effects of psychotherapy and childhood maltreatment are
covered; if I did not show Ordinary People, I’ll include for this
entire film: film lecture material on transference & counter-transference,
film preference for psychodynamic over CBT psychotherapy,
Antwone Fisher (2002, and portraying therapist as client’s friend/father substitute
120min)
images of psychotherapy the film is also analyzed from a Freudian and Jungian
or perspective to reinforce how “classic” theories can be applied
to film
Good Will Hunting (1997
126min) I prefer Antwone Fisher since it is based inspired by a true
story (which resonates with students), Fisher was the
screenwriter, and it’s one of the few films I’ve found that
shows non-white characters in psychotherapy
this film serves as an excellent entrée to non-English cinema,
students are generally receptive to the fantasy genre
it is the only film for which I show parts of the director’s
entire film:
Jung & fantasy; commentary: del Toro’s excellent overview of his use of music,
El Laberinto del fauno (Pan’s Labyrinth) color, mythology, and “unexplained” magic
the neuroscience of mirror (2006, 119min) the scene of the Captain stitching up his own slashed cheek, to
neurons which students invariably wince, is an excellent way to
introduce the neuroscience of mirror neurons, the evolution of
social empathy, and to discuss how film is such a powerful
medium precisely because it activates so many mirror neurons
this film is an excellent if atypical portrayal of the immigrant
experience (Iranian-American students have responded
entire film: favorably to the cultural portrayal in the film); it’s also the time
social psychology of stereotype in the semester at which students start to present (one group
House of Sand and Fog (2003, 126min)
formation, race, and class per class); a number of the characters show issues that can be
analyzed with Eriksonian theory, if time permits I explore
these; if the class has been running late I will eliminate this as
it is somewhat slow paced
this film is a visually beautiful portrayal of the true story of
transgender Thai kick boxer Nong Thoom, and works on
entire film: multiple levels for the course: discussion of transgender issues,
gender and sexuality;
gender roles and gender conformity for non-trans individuals,
Beautiful Boxer (2003, 118min)
other cultures and life in developing countries / the economic
Maslow & self-actualization
privilege of developed nations; it also lends itself to a
theoretical analysis with Maslow and self-actualization; plus,
the Muay Thai rocks!
entire film:
used to cover substance abuse and addiction; from a
drug addiction & alienation Requiem for a Dream (2000, 102min) theoretical perspective: Rollo May and existential anxiety; I like
that this does not have a happy ending (unlike Trainspotting)
I use this slot to “try out” films I haven’t shown before in class,
including candidates that I am considering to replace one of
varies: announced in class the above films (as it is less critical at the end of the semester
topic varies
if a film fails to hold up as well in class as I think it will); it is
also a good catch-up slot in case there is a weather
cancellation, conference, or if earlier topics run late
at the semester’s end we come full circle, returning to Freud,
entire film:
via a discussion of Woody Allen’s career (and personal life!);
Anything Else (2003, 108min) we refer overtly to ouroboros, and the circular structure of
many narratives; I sometimes have students vote on which
or Woody Allen film (from a short list); of course, many of Allen’s
Match Point (2005, 124min) films are great for this class; although Anything Else is not one
Freud redux & modern life
of Allen’s best films, students respond especially well to the
(or excerpts from Anything modern foibles and the negative portrayal of Freudian
Else, and another Allen film analysis; if I screen Match Point, which focuses on fate, I
shown in full) precede it with excerpts from Anything Else (esp. scenes that
reference firearms and masturbation, a panic attack to avoid
sex, and poke fun at psychoanalysis)
 TYEM @ DOWLING . EDU this doc. on scribd.com: http://scr.bi/933doE

F IL MS A S S I G NE D TO G RO U PS
As noted above, group presentations fulfill a curricula requirement, while also expanding the number and range of films to which students are exposed in the semester. A
class of 18 is randomly assigned to 6 groups (3 students per group, plus/minus one if students withdraw). Each group is assigned a film I have picked, and they prepare a total
of a twenty minute presentation, followed by class discussion which I lead. Students may organize their presentations as they wish and present on what aspects of the film,
director, and/or theory they wish, as long as they don’t give a movie review. They may briefly describe the film for the class. They anonymously rate the contribution of each
person in the group. Individual grades are based on both the individual and group effort. A group may show no more than 3 minutes of clips (due to time constraints).

1. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975, 133min)

2. Equus (1977, 137min)
3. Girl, Interrupted (1999, 127min)
4. Kurosawa’s Dreams (Yume) (1990, 119min) or Raise the Red Lantern (1991, 125min)
5. Ordinary People (1980) or Good Will Hunting (1997) or Antwone Fisher (2002) (whichever was not shown in class)
6. another film that has been rotated “out” of the all-class showing that semester (e.g. A Beautiful Mind, The Soloist, etc.),
or another non-English language film, or another Woody Allen film

A D D IT IO NA L T E A C H I N G N O T E S
Types of films that have not worked as well: Non-English films have
been the biggest challenge, as I’m very fond of world cinema and students
aren’t! A majority of our students at Dowling are native English speakers and
first generation in their families to attend college, and, despite the proximity to
the New York city metro area and its wealth of culture, I’ve found a surprising
majority of students are highly resistant to watching non-English language
films, or anything that is too “artsy.” Students quickly lose interest if I show too
many non-English films, especially early in the semester.
I’ve found that it helps to turn on subtitles/captions, where available, on all
films, including English language films. Although a few students complain this is
distracting, I point out this is helpful for hearing impaired students,
international students, and for those simply sitting in locations in the classroom
where the sound isn’t very clear. I don’t mention, but have observed, that it
gets students used to reading captions, so that by the mid-point of the
semester, when I start showing non-English language films, there is much less
resistance! Non-English films that follow a familiar style or genre are often a
good bridge to more complex films.
As long as I’m enthusiastic about a film, I can usually get students
enthusiastic as well. Each semester I have students rate all the films for their
usefulness for the class, and also ask which one film they would definitely drop
to make room for their own suggestions. I usually drop a film if a majority of
students don’t like it. As I teach this class once or twice a year, I obviously need
to remain enthusiastic about the films. Some films I rotate, depending on the
semester, others I find stand up to repeated viewings and fit well so I use them
every time I teach the course. Of course, I also consider student suggestions for
future classes semesters.
As one might expect, students identify most with films that contain younger
characters or contemporary settings. So, when I show a film that might be
more of a stretch, I try to have the next film be a more familiar film (or an
unfamiliar film that uses a fairly familiar film idiom, such as a non-English
biopic).
On the screening and lecture format: I will spend one to three classes
on a major theoretical perspective. After a lecture of between 20 minutes and
an hour, I will then start to show a film that fits that theory particularly well
(such as Freudian defense mechanisms and American Beauty), spreading a film
out over two classes (each class is 2 hours and 41 minutes), regularly pausing
the film to illustrate and expand on theoretical concepts and to analyze specific
scenes. Students are also encouraged to say “pause” so we can consider their
analysis and discussion mid-film. Other films I show only in excerpts (such as
brief clips from the Wizard of Oz). Generally I find that it does not matter if
students have seen a film before. Indeed, there is no film I’ve ever picked that’s
been seen by all students (even the Wizard of Oz!). The course would benefit
from a separate time for film screenings (not possible at my college which has a
significant commuter population of working students, and no ability to have
additional seat time without also expanding the credit hours of a course). If I
could have a separate screening time, I would continue to show a few films in
their entirety in class using the “stop-start” lecture method, but would free up
some class time for additional lectures and discussion. I would also like to be
able to have the entire class watch the of films on which students make group
presentations, this would be possible if I had a separate screening time.
On students selecting films for papers: While I allow students to
pick a film that interests them, I provide feedback as to whether I think the film
they wish to analyze would be easy or difficult. One-third of the way into the
semester I ask them to generate a list of three films they are considering, which
theories/theorists/perspectives they are thinking of using, and why. Many
students initially pick blockbuster action films or comedies, some of which lack
the depth of character development that facilitates applying psychological
theories to analyzing the film. It should be noted, however, some action films
and Disney films are actually quite good for analysis (particularly from a Jungian
perspective). I also encourage students to compare and contrast with books
(for films based on books) and to analyze a series of films together (e.g. Harry
Potter is a current favorite). I ask all students to watch their film at least three
times. If I haven’t seen the film, I try to watch it (asking the student to bring in a
copy if I don’t have time to get it myself), or failing that I read up extensively on
the film on imdb.com. Students are encouraged to not limit themselves to films
that portray psychological disorders, and may even use a film that we analyze
in class if it’s a favorite of theirs. (Sometimes I find these are the best papers as
students have to go in greater depth than we covered in class.)
On students selecting theorists for papers: Since this is a senior
seminar students are expected to research scholarly sources on the theorists /
theories / major perspectives they are using to analyze films. They may pick any
two theorists, including if they wish Freud or Jung; however, they can’t pick
both Freud and Jung. I found that papers were too repetitive when I allowed
students to pick both Freud and Jung, and as I cover other perspectives in less
depth, this requires students to do more work in the library for at least one
theory/perspective, a skill I want them to develop. I also require a copy of the
first couple of pages of each scholarly source so I can see they are reading
books, not just journal articles. I encourage students to explain the theory as
well as analyzing the film, and to avoid a “movie review” analysis that goes
scene-by-scene. I also put on the course intranet a few sample student papers
that received As, Bs, Cs, and Ds, to serve as a model, particularly as non-social
science majors may be unfamiliar with writing this type of paper. Students with
an interest in film can add additional pages, beyond the required page count,
focusing on the film itself rather than a psychological analysis.
On the readings: As noted above, I provide brief chapters on the basic
theories on the college intranet (selected from introductory level texts, to be
helpful for non-majors), and require Movies and the mind, a book by William
Indick (2004) that was written specially with this course in mind. Bill co-
designed the class with me, he also targeted his book for a general audience
interested in psychology and film. In the past I have also included a formal text
on film studies, but I’ve found there isn’t sufficient time to cover this in the
class in great depth without detracting from psychology, and only a small
minority of students have a specific interest in film studies.

REFERENCES
Dowling College (2008). Catalog for undergraduate studies, 2008-2010. Oakdale, NY: Dowling College.
Indick, William (2004). Movies and the mind: Theories of the great psychoanalysts applied to film. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. ISBN 0786419539, 978-0786419531.