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A film is a representation
Cinema can illustrate psychological ideas while also selecting, compressing, and dramatizing them.
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01:830:220 · Psychology · School 01 — New Brunswick School of Arts and Sciences
Psychological Themes and Theories in Modern Film uses critical analysis of cinema to examine lifespan development, stereotypes, personality, memory, learning, gender identity, personality disorders, trauma, autism, and clinical practice.
How hard?
Students rate teaching
SIRS · 1,925 responses · 2017–2025
Spring 2027
1 open in snapshot · 1 instructor
When it meets
College Avenue
Checked-in sections · current seat counts are unavailable.
TTh 3:50 PM · College Avenue · 1 section · 1 open
AI-generated overview
Higher means more demanding · AI summary
4 units · topic sequence may vary by instructor
The course establishes how cinematic stories, characters, and visual choices can be analyzed through psychological concepts without treating fiction as clinical evidence.
Published topics include lifespan development, learning processes, and memory, which can be traced through characters and narrative structure.
The course examines personality and gender identity while asking how films reproduce or challenge social stereotypes.
Psychological disorders, trauma, autism, and clinical practice provide a final set of questions about accuracy, stigma, and care.
Cinema can illustrate psychological ideas while also selecting, compressing, and dramatizing them.
A strong analysis points to scenes, dialogue, editing, and character behavior rather than naming a theory alone.
Portrayals of disorder, trauma, and autism should be evaluated for both narrative function and real-world implications.
Films shape expectations about identity and behavior, so analysis must consider both individual characters and cultural patterns.
Common pitfall
Instead
Treat the film as representation and use diagnostic concepts carefully, with evidence and limits.
Common pitfall
Instead
Use selected scenes as evidence for a psychological or representational claim.
Common pitfall
Instead
Discuss narrative purpose, stereotype, stigma, and clinical accuracy together.
1 open · College Avenue
| Section | Status | Instructor | Meeting | Campus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0116516 | Open | Lyra Stein | Tuesday 3:50 PM-5:10 PM at SC 123; Thursday 3:50 PM-5:10 PM at SC 123SC 123 | College Avenue |
Historical student surveys
Teaching
4.55
Course quality
4.56
Response rate
31.0%
Coverage
17 offerings · 2017–2025
| Instructor | Offerings | Teaching | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lyra Stein | 12 | 4.49 | 4.49 |
| Lyra Stein | 3 | 4.73 | 4.73 |
| Stein L. | 2 | 4.65 | 4.70 |
Catalog and planning context
Credits
3
Current campuses
College Avenue
Current availability
1 open of 1
Catalog terms
Fall, Spring
Core codes
SOEHS
Loaded terms
5
((21:830:101 and 21:830:102) or (01:830:101))<em> OR </em> ((21:830:101 and 21:830:102) or (50:830:101))
No direct degree-list membership appears in the checked-in requirement index.