The Motion Picture Experience as Modified by Social Background and Personality

Bibliographic Data

ID4745266
AuthorsPaul G Cressey (corresponding author)
Year1938
Volume3
Issue4
Pages516
Publication date1938-08-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Sociological Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0003-1224 • E-ISSN: 1939-8271
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.2307/2083899
OpenAlexW2334290286
LanguageEN
Citations received6

YSTEMATIC research upon the theatrical motion picture has established many significant facts concerning its effects upon the information, the attitudes, and behavior of children and youth. That children and young people see many films, that these are exceedingly varied as to content,1 and that they remember much from the plots of these photoplays, has been definitely demonstrated. It is equally well established that social attitudes and racial prejudices, at least upon debatable issues and type characters, can be affected by photoplays. Peterson and Thurstone, by measuring attitudes before and after their subjects had seen certain films, have shown convincingly that appropriate photoplays affect the social attitudes of youth toward such stereotyped groups as Negroes, Chinese and Germans, and upon controversial issues such as warfare, patriotism and the punishment of criminals.2 When properly interpreted, other findings from recent research may be accepted. That children and young people when seeing films can be disturbed emotionally, i.e., physiologically, in a manner and degree recordable upon laboratory instruments, and that the film content which stimulates in this way varies greatly with age and maturity, is well established.3 That photoplays can provide young people with patterns for make-believe play, for phantasy and daydreaming, and for conscious or unwitting imitation of dress and beautification, of lovemaking techniques, of mannerisms and gestures, and that theatrical films can furnish schemes of life which are utilized experimentally by young people in their own social activities, has been shown clearly by Blumer and others.4 Even though some critics may

Motion (physics · Personality · Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science · Media, Gender, and Advertising · Psychology · Social Psychology

Tools

Open DOISci-Hub