Cinema has emerged as one of the most potent communication mediums, with its influence steadily intensifying across global cultures from East to West. Driven by rapid technological advancements, the daily duration individuals spend consuming films and television series continues to rise.
Does cinema, which now occupies a significant portion of our contemporary lives, exert an influence on our mental health and decision-making processes? Have we ever made critical life decisions solely under the influence of the narratives we watch? Or does cinema, in fact, possess the capacity to exert control over the human mind?
Cinema is often the primary medium associated with leisure and stress management. As an art form, it utilizes technical modalities such as visual imagery, sound, camera angles, lighting, and editing to construct effective narratives that convey complex events and emotions. By virtue of its transformative and restorative power, cinema incorporates the therapeutic storytelling traditions of diverse cultures; it is for this reason that it has been so rapidly assimilated by global audiences.
Through this process of internalisation, individuals engage in intense emotional participation with the narrative, facilitating a profound immersion into their own inner worlds. Cinema and psychology share the fundamental objectives of identifying and exploring the human psyche (Izod & Dovalis, 2015). The relationship an individual establishes with a film mirrors the dyadic relationship formed between a therapist and a client in a clinical setting.
Therefore, the deep bond established with visual narratives can significantly influence the viewer’s life and decision-making processes. Audiences often identify with and draw parallels between their own lived experiences and the characters or events depicted on screen. Through this process of identification, individuals strive for self-discovery and psychological refinement.
Cinema serves as an effective mechanism that transcends the physical body to touch the soul, providing trans-rational experiences of liberation. Due to this profound impact, cinema possesses a dual nature: while it can be exceptionally beneficial and restorative, it can also be used for more manipulative ends.
Historically, motion pictures were frequently utilized as propaganda tools during wartime to influence collective consciousness. Conversely, cinema began to be integrated into psychiatric services as a clinical intervention (Whitmyre, 1958). In some clinical settings, film screenings were even utilized as reinforcement or reward for psychiatric patients exhibiting adaptive behaviors (Berman, 1946).
In 1999, the association MediCinema was established in the United Kingdom to provide hospital patients with the opportunity to experience cinema. Aiming to facilitate recovery through positive affect and laughter, this organisation popularised cinematherapy by installing cinema halls within various hospitals across the country. In Turkey, a study conducted with patients of psychotic origin involved the screening of various films followed by discussion activities. This initiative led to the establishment of a psychotherapy centre at the Erenköy Mental and Neurological Diseases Hospital, where cinematherapy sessions were conducted using 24 different films, each accompanied by focused cinematic discussions (Cherif, 2019).
Various studies and clinical activities indicate that engaging with films and television series exerts a beneficial influence on psychological well-being. Consuming such visual narratives enhances psychological insight regarding personal conflicts, serves as a potent instrument for self-discovery, and provides a structured framework for navigating lived challenges.
When we observe characters on screen who possess analogous life stories or conflicts, it enables us to evaluate our own issues from a more objective perspective. This facilitates the appraisal of problems through diverse lenses and assists in identifying potential resolutions (Rizza, 1997). The restorative potential of cinema is frequently integrated into clinical psychotherapy sessions.
Empirical evidence suggests that 67% of psychologists utilize films within the therapeutic process, with 88% of these clinicians reporting significant and efficacious outcomes in their patients (Powell & Newgent, 2010).
Film consumption can also modulate the deployment of defense mechanisms. For instance, an individual who encounters substantial difficulty in weeping in daily life may achieve catharsis and express affect more freely when presented with a poignant film. Similarly, an individual characterized by persistent dysphoria may experience moments of genuine levity during a comedy.
Contemporary criticisms often focus on the capacity of film and series to induce maladaptive states such as violence, war, and aggression. However, just as films may foster negative behaviors, they also possess the power to encourage prosocial conduct, facilitate recovery, and enable individuals to effectively regulate their affects (Mangin, 1999).
Cinema can exert both salutary and deleterious effects on the psyche. Spectators may occasionally experience intense psychological distress during a screening, manifesting in respiratory constriction, nausea, or acute tension that persists for several days. Furthermore, films and series can serve as triggers for unrecognized psychological trauma. Therefore, rigorous selectivity in consumption is imperative.
Meticulous care is required regarding pediatric audiences. While an adult might view a horror film for relaxation, the same content may induce a traumatic reaction in a child, potentially leading to lasting psychological damage. As documented in various studies, children are negatively impacted when exposed to cinematic or televised content containing violence, fear, or sexual themes (Wolz, 2005).
Visuals considered mundane by adults can leave highly deleterious and permanent imprints upon the sensitive psychic world of a child. Indeed, exposure to such content has been associated with high-risk behaviors, including aggression, increased sexual activity, and alcohol or substance misuse (Villani, 2001). It is therefore vital to shield children and adolescents from such imagery until they reach an appropriate developmental stage.
Conclusion
In conclusion, cinematic consumption influences mental health through multifaceted pathways. While films and series are utilized as a treatment technique through cinematherapy, they also possess the capacity to severely compromise psychological well-being.
Therefore, meticulous attention must be paid to the nature of the content consumed, and rigorous discretion is mandatory regarding the narratives provided to children and young people.
References
Berman, H. H. (1946). Audio-visual psychotherapeutics: Portable moving pictures with sound as a rehabilitation measure. Psychiatric Quarterly, 20(Suppl 1), 197–203.
Cherif, S. (2019). Sinemada psikoterapi tedavisi (Master’s thesis, Marmara University, Turkey).
Izod, J., & Dovalis, J. (2015). Terapi Olarak Sinema (Trans. D. P. Kayıhan). İstanbul: İKÜ Yayınevi.
Mangin, D. (1999). Cinema Therapy. www.salon.com.
Powell, M. L., & Newgent, R. A. (2010). Improving the empirical credibility of cinematherapy: A single-subject interrupted time-series design. Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation, 1(2), 40–49.
Rizza, M. (1997). A parent’s guide to helping children: Using bibliotherapy at home.
Villani, S. (2001). Impact of media on children and adolescents: A 10-year review of the research. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 40(4), 392–401.
Whitmyre, J. W. (1958). Psychiatric patient audience reactions to types of motion pictures. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 14(3).
Wolz, B. (2005). Motion Picture Magic: A Movie Lover’s Guide to Healing and Transformation. Centennial, Colorado: Glenbridge.