Is the purpose of movies simply passive viewing to keep us entertained? The authors suggest that there is much more happening in our unconscious mind. In their graduate and undergraduate classrooms, they developed strategies using films to broaden students’ perspectives on the human journey. While writing about movie characters, students shared the impact these stories had on themselves. The authors guided their interpretations through different theories on the human condition.

As they delve into key perspectives and their application, the authors hope that the reader, too, will perceive both psychology and movies in a different light. The depth and very personal nature of the students’ responses were so meaningful that they inspired this book.

Watching films helps me to apply the theories we learned to real life as opposed to memorizing. (A student)

With a blend of frameworks, first-person student reflections, and the teaching journeys of the authors themselves, Movies as Mirrors makes theories come to life. After reading this book you may never watch movies the same way again!