Katalin Bálint
Biographic Data
| ID | 1638395 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Katalin Bálint |
| GIVEN NAMES | Katalin |
| FAMILY NAME | Bálint |
| SIGNATURE | BÁLINT K |
| AFFILIATIONS | Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-6254-7883 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 10 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 8 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 9 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 1 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2016 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Making Sense of Complex Cinema
Mainstream complex films like Pulp Fiction and Memento have captivated audiences while challenging classical norms through narrational complexity. David Bordwell's seminal work mapped these formal strategies, emphasizing they are not qualitatively different from classical ones. However, there is growing recognition that these films offer a unique experience, where coherence is built through effortful and variable processes. Building on this, we i…
The role of processing foregrounding in empathic reactions in literary reading
A considerable body of research has examined the age-old assertion that reading literature enhances empathy, however, mixed results have been found. The present study attempts to clarify such disparities, investigating the role of foregrounding in possible differences in readers’ processing of literary texts and its connection with readers’ empathic reactions. We asked participants (N = 78) to mark parts of the text they considered as “foreground…
Personal relevance and state empathy with a character facilitates self-disclosure in film viewers
Eudaimonic media entertainment has been shown to promote mental health, however, our knowledge of the underlying mechanisms that drive the effect is still limited. This project focuses on self-disclosure, a relevant factor for reducing distress and improving mental wellbeing. The aim was to test whether empathizing with a fictional character and the personal relevance of a story can facilitate self-disclosure responses, as well as to examine the …
Shaping film
Previous research suggests that particular formal features of film, such as the use of close-ups, can affect the levels of empathy experienced by viewers. As empathy is a key aspect of audience’s filmic experience, creative decisions in editing and cinematography may be motivated by the filmmaker’s intention of eliciting empathy. The goal of this study is to investigate what film scenes intended to elicit empathy look like in terms of those visua…
Can A Funny Story about Tooth Brushing Decrease Plaque Scores in Children? A Longitudinal Field Experiment
Dental caries is the most common chronic condition among children, it is thus a necessity to develop health communication tools to increase children's dental hygiene. Prior research among adults indicates that entertaining narrative communication can promote health behaviors, but knowledge on narrative effects on children's health outcomes is limited. In a repeated measures field experiment (N = 94, 4-10 years) we examined the long-term effects o…
Plurality in the Measurement of Social Media Use and Mental Health
On a daily basis, individuals between 12 and 25 years of age engage with their mobile devices for many hours. Social Media Use (SMU) has important implications for the social life of younger individuals in particular. However, measuring SMU and its effects often poses challenges to researchers. In this exploratory study, we focus on some of these challenges, by addressing how plurality in the measurement and age-specific characteristics of SMU ca…
Shot scale matters
Mental state attribution, an important aspect of social cognition, refers to the verbalization of mental state references observed in another person. Fictional film narratives can elicit social cognition and mental state attribution specifically, however, little is known about the cinematographic techniques underlying this effect and their link to mental state attribution. The present experiment focuses on the role of close-up shots of the charac…
Personal Relevance in Story Reading
Although personal relevance is key to sustaining an audience's interest in any given narrative, it has received little systematic attention in scholarship to date. Across centuries and media, adaptations have been used extensively to bring temporally or geographically distant narratives "closer" to the recipient under the assumption that their impact will increase. In this article, we review experimental and other empirical evidence on narrative …
Narrative Absorption
Narrative Absorption brings together research from the social sciences and Humanities to solve a number of mysteries: Most of us will have had those moments, of being totally absorbed in a book, a movie, or computer game. Typically we do not have any idea about how we ended up in such a state. Nor do we fully realize how we might have changed as we return for the fictional worlds we have visited. The feeling of being absorbed is one of the most i…
A needle in the haystack – the dire straits of needle exchange in Hungary
There is a high probability that the combination of decreased NEP coverage and the increased injection risk of new psychoactive substances may lead in Hungary to a public health disaster similar to the HIV outbreaks in Romania and Greece. This can be avoided only by an immediate change in the attitude of the Hungarian government towards harm reduction
Shot scale matters
Mental state attribution, an important aspect of social cognition, refers to the verbalization of mental state references observed in another person. Fictional film narratives can elicit social cognition and mental state attribution specifically, however, little is known about the cinematographic techniques underlying this effect and their link to mental state attribution. The present experiment focuses on the role of close-up shots of the charac…
Personal Relevance in Story Reading
Although personal relevance is key to sustaining an audience's interest in any given narrative, it has received little systematic attention in scholarship to date. Across centuries and media, adaptations have been used extensively to bring temporally or geographically distant narratives "closer" to the recipient under the assumption that their impact will increase. In this article, we review experimental and other empirical evidence on narrative …
Plurality in the Measurement of Social Media Use and Mental Health
On a daily basis, individuals between 12 and 25 years of age engage with their mobile devices for many hours. Social Media Use (SMU) has important implications for the social life of younger individuals in particular. However, measuring SMU and its effects often poses challenges to researchers. In this exploratory study, we focus on some of these challenges, by addressing how plurality in the measurement and age-specific characteristics of SMU ca…
A needle in the haystack – the dire straits of needle exchange in Hungary
There is a high probability that the combination of decreased NEP coverage and the increased injection risk of new psychoactive substances may lead in Hungary to a public health disaster similar to the HIV outbreaks in Romania and Greece. This can be avoided only by an immediate change in the attitude of the Hungarian government towards harm reduction
Narrative Absorption
Narrative Absorption brings together research from the social sciences and Humanities to solve a number of mysteries: Most of us will have had those moments, of being totally absorbed in a book, a movie, or computer game. Typically we do not have any idea about how we ended up in such a state. Nor do we fully realize how we might have changed as we return for the fictional worlds we have visited. The feeling of being absorbed is one of the most i…
Personal Relevance in Story Reading
Although personal relevance is key to sustaining an audience's interest in any given narrative, it has received little systematic attention in scholarship to date. Across centuries and media, adaptations have been used extensively to bring temporally or geographically distant narratives "closer" to the recipient under the assumption that their impact will increase. In this article, we review experimental and other empirical evidence on narrative …
Shot scale matters
Mental state attribution, an important aspect of social cognition, refers to the verbalization of mental state references observed in another person. Fictional film narratives can elicit social cognition and mental state attribution specifically, however, little is known about the cinematographic techniques underlying this effect and their link to mental state attribution. The present experiment focuses on the role of close-up shots of the charac…
Plurality in the Measurement of Social Media Use and Mental Health
On a daily basis, individuals between 12 and 25 years of age engage with their mobile devices for many hours. Social Media Use (SMU) has important implications for the social life of younger individuals in particular. However, measuring SMU and its effects often poses challenges to researchers. In this exploratory study, we focus on some of these challenges, by addressing how plurality in the measurement and age-specific characteristics of SMU ca…
Personal relevance and state empathy with a character facilitates self-disclosure in film viewers
Eudaimonic media entertainment has been shown to promote mental health, however, our knowledge of the underlying mechanisms that drive the effect is still limited. This project focuses on self-disclosure, a relevant factor for reducing distress and improving mental wellbeing. The aim was to test whether empathizing with a fictional character and the personal relevance of a story can facilitate self-disclosure responses, as well as to examine the …
Shaping film
Previous research suggests that particular formal features of film, such as the use of close-ups, can affect the levels of empathy experienced by viewers. As empathy is a key aspect of audience’s filmic experience, creative decisions in editing and cinematography may be motivated by the filmmaker’s intention of eliciting empathy. The goal of this study is to investigate what film scenes intended to elicit empathy look like in terms of those visua…
Can A Funny Story about Tooth Brushing Decrease Plaque Scores in Children? A Longitudinal Field Experiment
Dental caries is the most common chronic condition among children, it is thus a necessity to develop health communication tools to increase children's dental hygiene. Prior research among adults indicates that entertaining narrative communication can promote health behaviors, but knowledge on narrative effects on children's health outcomes is limited. In a repeated measures field experiment (N = 94, 4-10 years) we examined the long-term effects o…
The role of processing foregrounding in empathic reactions in literary reading
A considerable body of research has examined the age-old assertion that reading literature enhances empathy, however, mixed results have been found. The present study attempts to clarify such disparities, investigating the role of foregrounding in possible differences in readers’ processing of literary texts and its connection with readers’ empathic reactions. We asked participants (N = 78) to mark parts of the text they considered as “foreground…
Making Sense of Complex Cinema
Mainstream complex films like Pulp Fiction and Memento have captivated audiences while challenging classical norms through narrational complexity. David Bordwell's seminal work mapped these formal strategies, emphasizing they are not qualitatively different from classical ones. However, there is growing recognition that these films offer a unique experience, where coherence is built through effortful and variable processes. Building on this, we i…
Psychology (8 works) · Social Psychology (8 works) · Media Influence and Health (7 works) · Narrative (5 works) · Art (4 works) · Cognitive psychology (4 works) · Developmental psychology (3 works) · Empathy (3 works) · Humor Studies and Applications (3 works) · Literature (3 works)