The Emotional Effects of Movies
“Movies have had more influence on us than science.”
Peter Cawdron
Last week, I drove through the countryside, enjoying the wildflowers, when scenes from various movies came to mind, which caused me anxiety.
Not wanting to miss a personal growth opportunity, I reflected on it deeply.
I realized that these were not just random images but a mix of sad, violent, and upsetting scenes. They left a more profound impact on me than I had initially realized.
Killers, psychopaths, cheaters, dysfunction, tarantulas...
Some days, these movie memories stay tucked away like files in a filing cabinet and don't bother me. But when life gets stressful, the subconscious mind goes to work, pulling files that trigger subtle, running anxiety.
The National Institutes of Health says, 'Viewing violence in the media affected the functions of the orbitofrontal cortex, including decision-making. This means that exposure to media violence decreases the activity of the orbitofrontal cortex, and as a result, decision-making is weakened.'
My journey of self-discovery also led me to explore the field of Neurocinematics. This fascinating area of study examines how movies affect the human psyche, shedding light on why certain scenes or images can linger in our minds.
Here's what Mirage News says about how films influence the brain.
"A key finding in neurocinematics is the concept of "inter-subject correlation" (ISC), referring to the synchronization of neural activity across different individuals when watching the same film. High ISC implies that the film is guiding the viewers' attention and eliciting similar cognitive and emotional responses. At the same time, low ISC suggests that viewers' minds wander or interpret the film differently.
One key aspect of this field is the role of mirror neurons. These neurons fire both when an individual performs an action and when they observe someone else performing the same action. In the context of film viewing, mirror neurons are thought to play a crucial role in empathy and understanding others' actions and emotions, thereby enhancing our emotional connection with the characters and the story.
Empathic and highly sensitive people tend to connect deeply with a character's struggles and carry the film's emotional impact long after the credits roll.
Plain and simple, disturbing media can feed our inertia, anxiety, and depression, a concerning reality we must be aware of.
Images are bombarding us through social media, the news, and entertainment.
Are we choosing content that contributes to mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being, or are we degrading it and filling ourselves with lukewarm, paralyzing fear?
Since this incident, I’ve become more selective about what I watch, and I spend significantly less time online—a choice that has eased my mind, as I don’t believe our minds were meant to bear this burden.
Images from movies are stored in our subconscious mind and can influence our ability to make clear and peaceful decisions.
Video Update, ‘Ruth’ gets accepted to Yale University.