Psychology of Art and Film

Course Content:

This module consists of two intertwined topics: the psychology of film and the
psychology of art in general. The separation of the two topics is simply didactic, as
film is also a form of art, with a focus on paintings. While on this course, students are
encouraged to explore, enjoy and use their imagination as well as their critical and
creative faculties as they ?taste and try? and embark upon an intellectual and
aesthetic journey.

Autumn Semester summary: Psychology of Art

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, what is it about the human brain that enables us
to appreciate it? For centuries artists have used pigments or pixels to create a multitude
of visual effects able to trigger powerful cognitive and emotional responses. Such
responses result from brain activity, and the aesthetic roots of art perception and
creativity in the human brain are currently the focus of a wide range of studies.
Psychology of Art and Film is a young field of study and encompasses a multitude of
branches of Psychology. The aesthetic experience relates not only to natural beauty but
also to works of art (including paintings, films, etc).

Topics:
? Art through evolution and history
? Art and the Eye
? Visit to a museum
? Art and Colour
? Aesthetics in Art
? Art and Motion
? Art and Scenes
? Art and Pictures

Spring Semester summary: Psychology of Film

Why do we watch films? What do they do for us? What do they do to us? To investigate
the psychology of film allows us to focus on film as a resource which tells us what it is to
be human. Insights and emotions that result from exposure to the cinematic process, not
only involves the process of creating moving images to tell a story but also the act of
watching them and reading them as cultural and historical artefacts. A film may reveal
much about the social history of the time.

The focus of interest may be on the content of the film; for example, the story line, the
morality of the tale, a lesson in how we should or should not live; the personal and
political dilemmas we face. Alternatively, psychological analysis may concentrate on the
production: the way in which the script constructs ?the psychological context? or the way
in which the use of black and white, muted colour tones or incidental music contributes
to the emotional setting. Whatever aspect of ?being human? film touches in us, the term
?psychology? should be interpreted broadly to accommodate the broad range of insights
and understanding available to us as observers and participants. ?Psychology? may also
refer to aspects of performance related to or emanating from a state of mind existing in
the actors, the director, producer or audience. Insights may also be derived from ?the
dramatization?: the story, characters and historical and cultural setting.

Topics:
? Scenes and Pictures
? The Art of Knowing and Feeling
? Music and Art
? Visual anthropology: The social psychology of art and film
? Visual representation as art: Aesthetic principles
? Photography: Capturing light in time
? The moving image: Film and the human condition
? Inferring narrative from art and film: Time and place
? Colour and illusion in art and film
? Inferring Narrative from Art: Time and Place

Teaching: Lectures, workshops and seminars

Assessment:
STUDY OPTION 1:
? 2000-word reflective essay (50%)
? 2,000-word essay (50%)
STUDY OPTION 2 OR 3: 2,000-word essay (100%)

Study Option 1 = Whole Year
Study Option 2 = Autumn
Study Option 3 = Spring/summer