Tears or Fears? Comparing Gender Stereotypes about Movie Preferences to Actual Preferences

Wühr, Peter; Lange, Benjamin P.; Schwarz, Sascha

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00428

Cited by 35 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Empirical studies (cf. for example, Bennett et al, 2009 andWühr et al, 2017) show that film preferences are strongly linked to gender and the empirical studies confirm stereotypes. Age especially determines genre preferences in two dimensions, the degree of fantasy vs. realism and the dimension of the degree of arousal cued by the genre.…”

Section: Sadness Humour and Film As Social Ritualsmentioning

confidence: 85%

How film genres are a product of biology, evolution and culture—an embodied approach

Grodal

2017

Palgrave Commun

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The article describes how basic cognitive and emotional systems of the embodied brain are products of a long evolutionary history and how this determines the way in which the major film genres are constructed. It synthesizes research from evolutionary psychology and cognitive film studies, as well as moral psychology. It explains how the film experience is embodied: experienced not only cognitively but with the whole body and its interaction with the world. Also discussed is how the biological underpinning of genres are based on three major types of emotions: a group of reptilian emotions central to action and adventure; a group of mammalian emotions related to offspring of care; and separation panic/ grief. A special human development to enhance group living has expanded emotions of care to also underpin emotions linked to group living such as loyalty to tribe, aggression towards out-groups and submission to tribal hierarchy, central in war, sci-fi and fantasy films, and also emotions related to social rituals such as comedy, tragedy and musical. A discussion is also offered of how the historical development from hunter-gatherers via societies based on agriculture to the present post-agrarian society has moulded moral emotions; this is exemplified in relation to crime films. Finally, also considered is how age and gender influence genre preferences.

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Section: Sadness Humour and Film As Social Ritualsmentioning

confidence: 85%

How film genres are a product of biology, evolution and culture—an embodied approach

Grodal

2017

Palgrave Commun

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“…Specific for individuals in this subgroup of TV series viewers, however, is their significantly more pronounced proneness to immerse themselves in romance-oriented TV shows, where the interconnectedness of episodes most often addresses the protagonists' love affairs. This is a special feature that is arguably deducible from the fact that this subgroup had the highest proportion of female viewers, given the existence of reliable gender differences identified by research with respect to romantic media preferences (Greenwood, 2010;Oliver, Sargent, & Weaver, 1998;Wühr, Lange, & Schwarz, 2017). Finally, of particular interest remains that detective shows constituted the only category of programs for which the viewers who were characterized either by a minor (i.e., recreational TV series viewers) or moderate (i.e., regulated bingewatchers) proneness to engage in binge-watching reported more inclination.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Overcoming the unitary exploration of binge-watching: A cluster analytical approach

et al. 2019

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Background and aims: Binge-watching (i.e., watching multiple episodes of a TV series in one session) has recently become standard practice among TV series viewers; this expansion generates concerns regarding the potential negative outcomes associated with this habit. However, the investigation of its psychological correlates remains fragmentary, with few initial studies a priori conceptualizing this behavior as a new addictive disorder. This study explored these psychological correlates using cluster analysis of binge-watching behavior based on three key psychological factors: motivations, impulsivity, and emotional reactivity. Methods: An online survey was completed by 4,039 TV series viewers. Data were analyzed using hierarchical and non-hierarchical cluster analyses, the validity of the clusters being finally determined through mutual comparisons with a selection of external correlates. Results: Four clusters were identified: recreational TV series viewers (presenting low involvement in binge-watching), regulated binge-watchers (moderately involved), avid binge-watchers (presenting elevated but non-problematic involvement), and unregulated binge-watchers (presenting potentially problematic involvement associated with negative outcomes). Discussion and conclusions: This study underlines the heterogeneous and multidetermined nature of binge-watching. Our findings suggest that high engagement in binge-watching is distinct from problematic binge-watching, thus reinforcing the notion that conceptualizing binge-watching as an addictive disorder is of low relevance and might actually lead to the overpathologization of this highly popular leisure activity.

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“…The sex difference is not only reported in the horror genre but also across a number of cinematic genres. One study of 150 undergraduates in Germany (Wühr et al, 2017) asked participants to indicate which types of films they believed that men and women would generally prefer. In a second study, participants were asked to indicate the films they themselves preferred.…”

Section: Individual Differences In Response To Horrormentioning

confidence: 99%

(Why) Do You Like Scary Movies? A Review of the Empirical Research on Psychological Responses to Horror Films

Martin

2019

Front. Psychol.

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Why do we watch and like horror films? Despite a century of horror film making and entertainment, little research has examined the human motivation to watch fictional horror and how horror film influences individuals’ behavioral, cognitive, and emotional responses. This review provides the first synthesis of the empirical literature on the psychology of horror film using multi-disciplinary research from psychology, psychotherapy, communication studies, development studies, clinical psychology, and media studies. The paper considers the motivations for people’s decision to watch horror, why people enjoy horror, how individual differences influence responses to, and preference for, horror film, how exposure to horror film changes behavior, how horror film is designed to achieve its effects, why we fear and why we fear specific classes of stimuli, and how liking for horror develops during childhood and adolescence. The literature suggests that (1) low empathy and fearfulness are associated with more enjoyment and desire to watch horror film but that specific dimensions of empathy are better predictors of people’s responses than are others; (2) there is a positive relationship between sensation-seeking and horror enjoyment/preference, but this relationship is not consistent; (3) men and boys prefer to watch, enjoy, and seek our horror more than do women and girls; (4) women are more prone to disgust sensitivity or anxiety than are men, and this may mediate the sex difference in the enjoyment of horror; (5) younger children are afraid of symbolic stimuli, whereas older children become afraid of concrete or realistic stimuli; and (6) in terms of coping with horror, physical coping strategies are more successful in younger children; priming with information about the feared object reduces fear and increases children’s enjoyment of frightening television and film. A number of limitations in the literature is identified, including the multifarious range of horror stimuli used in studies, disparities in methods, small sample sizes, and a lack of research on cross-cultural differences and similarities. Ideas for future research are explored.

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Tears or Fears? Comparing Gender Stereotypes about Movie Preferences to Actual Preferences

Cited by 35 publications

References 48 publications

How film genres are a product of biology, evolution and culture—an embodied approach

How film genres are a product of biology, evolution and culture—an embodied approach

Overcoming the unitary exploration of binge-watching: A cluster analytical approach

(Why) Do You Like Scary Movies? A Review of the Empirical Research on Psychological Responses to Horror Films

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