Reel Disorders

Where we diagnose popular movie and TV characters

[reeldisorders-blog]

Black Mirror: Fifteen Million Merits. S1 Ep2

It’s said that the best science fiction is rooted in reality and this concept is well illustrated in the British television series, Black Mirror. So far I’ve only watched the first season, yet throughout my viewing I was plagued with an eerie desire to question my own reality. More precisely; what part do I play in this media driven world of ours.

 The second episode in the series, “Fifteen Million Merits”, illustrates a world powered by television and the consumers that literally live to keep the cameras rolling. The mass population pedals on exercise bikes in order to create electricity with Bingham “Bing” Madsen (Daniel Kaluuya) playing our protagonist. He meets a talented singer, Abi (Jessica Brown Findlay), and together they attempt to change their lives for the better. However, when the judges of Hot Shot, an X-Factor type talent show, pressure Abi into the life of adult entertainment, Bing makes it his mission to confront the world through media and and question the summation of their lives’ worth.

 This episode does an amazing job at challenging our ideals of consuming vs. creating through a dramatic interpretation of mass satisfaction. Yet there exists many other psychological concepts such as mob mentality, the opinion of authority figures, social hierarchy, and ethical guidelines. If the best sci-fi is truly rooted in reality, then we can learn a lot by analyzing these key concepts.

In the Hot Seat  

One of the most captivating moments in the episode is when Abi, brand new to her pedaling life, gets her chance to wow the world with her vocal abilities. We watch on in hopes that the audience will realize her true talents and she can extricate herself from a bike-centered life. 

As she begins to sing, we witness the audience grow to love her and recognize her for the unique talent and beauty she possesses. It’s not until the game show judges begin to play down her talent and instead suggest that her looks are her main marketable trait, that the audience’s opinion shifts and the crowd begins to pressure her down a less desirable path.

And honestly, who can blame her? Look at these guys! I’d follow them.

Mob, or herd, mentality has been a term frequently studied by social psychologists. In their findings they’ve shown that when a majority of individuals conform to a specific path, others are more likely to gravitate along with them.

 One experiment simply named the ‘elevator experiment’ illustrates this with flying colors. When the inhabitants of an elevator face the wrong way, new entrees will second-guess their own actions and instead conform to the general consensus, moving their own body to face the back as well.

The only reason i’d face the wrong way...

Herd mentality makes it so that one’s own thoughts and opinions suddenly become questioned if they conflict with the thoughts and desires of a group. Because of this conflict, it is often easier to conform to a mass consensus rather than risk one’s own ideas as being wrong.

 If you couple this up with the opinion of authority figures, you have a recipe for a dictatorship, displayed in the famous Milgram Conformity Experiment. In this study, an individual was asked to administer an electric shock to a stranger when an incorrect answer was given on a memory test. While almost all of the testers refused, in one-way or another to harm another person, around 65% of them ended up administering lethal doses of shocks to their victims when an incorrect phrase was recalled.

The early models`used to cast ‘lightening bolt’ on their users

 Even though the shocks ended up being fake and no one was physically harmed, many of the unknowing testers still went all the way because a man in a lab coat holding a clipboard instructed them to do so. This concept illustrates how much faith we place in supposedly ‘authorities’ of a field. When the judges of Hot Shot disregarded Abi’s performance and recommended a different future for her, the audience engaged in a herd mentality of shifting their own opinions and instead believing those of the judges to be the correct ones.

The Choice Is Yours  

Illusion of choice: the ideas that one is able to make their own decisions however, in reality, their choices are limited by a superior (usually in an attempt to railroad the end result). Much of this world is developed for the sole purpose of keeping the greater ‘machine’ running with the requirement for bikers being of utmost concern. Even as they produce the needed electricity, the bikers are bombarded with trivial choices such as how best to outfit their avatar or which television program to watch, in order to distract from their real lives.

 This façade of entertainment also creates the lie of promoting one’s live to greater heights. You see, the promise of escaping one’s life of hard labor is the ultimate goal, yet the challenging road of dedication often is viewed as too taxing and a majority of individuals are content with the ever-lasting title of “consumer” rather than creating something new and unique. This life placement allows higher-ups to mold each individual’s purpose to serve a hidden agenda.

More Than a Game

This episode also illustrates typical elements of gamification (such as point scores and competition with others) in order to achieve high worker output. Even one’s behavior is being shaped in this reality as one is given points for good behavior, such as pedaling, and penalized for bad behavior (skipping ads).

When an ad comes on, I watch it twice

 This is because everything in this world serves the purpose of distraction. The ads are there to entice the viewer to spend their hard earned merits. The unhealthy foods are less expensive so that the bikers will keep working to lose their weight. Even the central concept of weight is a key theme, as the overweight members are treated as 2nd hand citizens, often revolted to the point of illustrating them as zombies in a video game. These techniques are often used in marketing to attract life long costumers. Even as the world is set up so that one must always strive to better their lot, the reality is more akin to the Greek myth of Sisyphus: that the stone will always roll back down creating another uphill battle towards a never achievable goal.

One day, My friend

The Original Recipe

Originality does not strive in the world of conformity. With everyone seeking to distinguish themselves through menial methods, it is Abi who stands out as she demonstrates a personality and passion not yet corrupted by the world she finds herself in.

 Yet when Abi is pressured into a life she did not choose, Bing begins an uphill battle to acquire merits with the sole purpose of speaking out against the system. He blames the world for following blindly, not seeing true beauty, and not working harder to remove themselves as gears from the machine. Yet as his speech ends and the judges look upon him, they praise him as a performer and present him with his own talk show. The fine tuned nature of this world is that when something original and unique is able to break free from a sea of conformity it is immediately packaged, displayed, and sold, eventually losing it’s meaning all together.

[reeldisorders-blog]

Dory And Short-Term Memory Loss: Is Pixar Getting It Right?

Let me know if you’ve heard this one. A man wakes up after an accident with no memory of who he is or where he’s been, and while incredibly disabling, his predicament leads him down a lengthy search to discover his past and identity. This and other uses of memory loss have been popular in film for generations. It’s so captivating to watch the protagonist and their journey towards self-discovery, and we can’t help but root for them as they recover a lost piece of themselves. Yet, as exciting as this film trope is, full-blown amnesia is much less common in the real world.

Amnesia does not suddenly erase someone’s identity nor does it make them question who they are. It’s not as common as we are led to believe, and every individual who garnishes a head wound will not suddenly forget his or her entire past.

Good thing too! We’d run out of Stooges quick.

With Pixar’s second submarine film, Finding Dory, being released it provides an excellent opportunity to revisit the amnesiac blue tang fish Dory and her memory disorder, in an attempt to uncover how accurate Pixar is in portraying mental illness.

A shallow memory

Dory explains during both films that she has short-term memory loss. In psychology this is called anterograde amnesia or the loss of ability to create new memories. You see, memories typically transition from short-term storage to long-term storage in the process of encoding.

Yet, when someone has a deficit in their short-term storage, the memory will not properly encode and instead will quickly become forgotten. A memory in short-term storage typically keeps for only a couple minutes (depending on how much rehearsal is done). So if someone truly wishes to recall an important memory in the future, the transition from short-term to long-term must not be impeded.

That’s why we stay INSIDE the circle

In regards to Dory, her character’s actions and behaviors actually check out as far as modern research on amnesia goes. Dory’s inability to encode memories make it so that any new information will go in one ear and out the other. This explains why she has such a hard time recalling anything she just heard.

However, Dory was eventually able to remember the pinnacle Sydney address necessary in Finding Nemo. So the question arises: is there an explanation for this phenomenon or was Dory’s serendipitous recollection merely Pixar’s deus ex machina?

Now where did I put that?

This one is a little trickier, as what triggers memories can range from all sorts of things: smells, thoughts, sayings, et cetera. Yet it would seem that the common denominator in Dory’s recollection was the clown fish, Marlin. Something about his presence acted like a memory retrieval cue for Dory, and allowed her to successfully retrieve the important address.

When looking at memory, it’s best not to picture it like a library of info all lined up Dewey Decimal style, but instead more akin to millions of spider web strands reaching out and making more and more connections made up of the associations in our daily lives. Similar to your train of thought jumping several tracks from your initial starting point, memories too travel along a superhighway made up of these associative connections.

My actual wall during Lost season 6

When we see Dory’s memory flashbacks during Finding Dory, they are always preceded by some related material (Dory hearing abut the undertow and then flashing back to her parents giving her a similar warning). This related information is a well documented process used by clinicians when treating amnesiac patients.

This technique is sometimes referred to as reality orientation, in which the individual is exposed to something special or important to them in order to best induce an associative memory (think of Noah reading the journal to his wife in The Notebook). The theory is that by exposing a patient to familiar items, you will have a better chance to tap into the associative spider web connections present in their memory.

I can speak Whale

There are some things that Dory is able to do regardless of her memory loss, such as speak, swim, and quip. This is because her procedural memory, the part that deals with everyday behaviors, is not affected by her disorder.

Similarly, one of the most famous amnesiac patients, a man by the name of Clive Wearing, was still able to perform concert level piano even after acquiring severe amnesia. Just like Dory, Wearing was not able to recall information he had heard just seconds before, yet he was able to play the piano at an expert level.

The complexity of memory isolation in the brain is incredibly difficult to pinpoint, which could explain why Dory’s ability to remember the directions was not affected the same way as her inability to remember names. This could also explain how Dory began to remember her parents in the second film, as the memories from her childhood could have been less affected by her disorder and just required the appropriate amount of reality orientation to access.

Also, her head finally grew to accommodate her eye balls. Probably helped make more room in there. 

Just keep swimming

Upon revisiting the films I have decided that the Finding Nemo/Dory films do a wonderful job at illustrating not only the difficulties of memory loss but also the support and stigma associated with it. Even though the amnesia seemed to track throughout the films, my favorite parts would have to be Pixar’s illustration of the positive impact a disordered individual can have on those around them.

With chronic memory loss the films could have been very repetitive and annoying, as Dory constantly forgets things, yet the writers were able to balance the deficit with Dory’s positive and curious personality. Her impact on the other fish can be seen clearly as she helps Marlin develop a more carefree spirit or aids her whale friends in overcoming their fears.

Not only that, but the way others gravitate to Dory and seek to help her illustrates the power of social support in recovery. My ultimate takeaway from the films was a welcomed reminder that those with disorders should not be thought of as a burden, but instead seen for the positive impact they can have on those around them.

Well done Pixar!

I also published this on Film Inquiry. Check it out here: http://www.filminquiry.com/dory-short-term-memory-loss/

[reeldisorders-blog]

Reel Disorders: Ramsay Bolton (Spoilers Season 6!)

Arguably the most hated character in television history, Ramsay Bolton was able to fill Joffrey’s shoes in ways few thought was possible. While many villains on television have a deeper motivation for their carnage, Ramsay seems to behave with only the act of inflicting pain as his goal. When Heath Ledger’s Joker made his on screen appearance, his enemies called him a mad dog, with no rhyme or reason in his actions, while the famous Alfred quote: “some people just want to watch the world burn”, has gone down in infamy as the perfect description of the Joker’s chaotic nature. It should then be no surprise that Iwan Rheon (the actor who portrays Ramsay) admits to drawing influence from Ledger’s adaptation in his own performance. 

However, the diagnosis of Ramsay’s character is not that of a psychopathic anarchist, but instead the culmination of humanities darkest desires. Unlike the character of the Joker, Ramsay makes plans not with chaos in mind, but instead to better his position. What started as an obsession with hurting others, Ramsay’s motivations began to evolve as the show continued. By delving deeper into the mind of this psychopathic individual and discovering what truly motivated his actions, we may be able to accurately evaluate the character of Ramsay Bolton.

Then again... perhaps not

The show provides us with a short, yet horrific, background for Ramsay. Conceived through rape under a hanging corpse, Ramsay was born a bastard to Roose Bolton (lord of House Bolton). One can only imagine what it was like growing up under a banner whose sigil is a man being flayed upside down, yet Ramsay seemed to embrace this method of torture more than anyone else.

“Bet you missed me, didn’t you?”

During one scene in particular, Ramsay recounts how everyone feared him when he was growing up (even the adults in his life). As children grow, they hit pivotal psychosocial developmental phases in their lives in which the manner they socialize with others can forever be altered based upon their experiences. If Ramsay grew up feared and alone, it could be that he embraced that fear and devised other methods to acquire the attention he desired.

Being the Bastard of Lord Bolton, Ramsay perhaps was not allotted the degree of respect he believed was his right. In order to acquire the obedience of others, he reverted to the best tool he had: fear. As Ramsay grew up under the flayed man’s sigil and witnessed the heinous acts of his father he learned that fear was a powerful method for acquiring allegiances. This fascination would then grow as Ramsay tortured others and learned that his satisfaction came from not only the end results, but in the actions that made them possible. Through his enjoyment of torture Ramsay demonstrates all the qualities of a sadist: someone who obtains pleasure from inflicting pain on others.

Still a better love story than Twilight

We learn a bit more about his background in the books where Ramsay had a childhood friend named “Reek” whom he would manipulate into carrying out his savage deeds. One of the most telling attributes of a psychopath is that they can often convince others to carry out the crimes for them. This was apparent for the cult leader Charles Manson, who would frequently get his followers to kill in his name. The ability for a psychopath to manipulate others fulfills multiple goals. For starters, it keeps the psychopathic individual safe, as there is no evidence to link them to the crime. Secondly, it fulfills the strong desire of controlling others. The obedience others demonstrate towards a psychopath stimulates these individuals’ grandiose personalities, often found in narcissistic personality disorders. It would seem that the concept of obedience carries into Ramsay’s adulthood as he puts a large emphasis on training dogs to obey his every command. Even the reason he breaks down Theon Greyjoy reflects his desire for control, as Theon becomes a ghostly reflection of Ramsay’s childhood puppet.

One method that psychopaths achieve the obedience of others is through their charisma and good looks. Similar to the anglerfish drawing in its prey with a vibrant light, Psychopaths too acquire followers through their charm and insight into the motivations of others. A psychopath will often uncover a person’s desires and then service them, whether through blackmail or extortion, so that the other will comply with the psychopath’s request. While Ramsay’s character will sometimes utilizes his looks and stature to his benefit, he most frequently reverts to pain and fear as being his primary tools for obedience.

You really shouldn’t cook spaghetti sauce in the dark

Since Ramsay enjoys causing pain so much, it is a guarantee that he will begin any interrogation with it. It’s not until the pain has already begun that he begins to ask his questions. This method of conditioning is called Negative Reinforcement, as he is removing an unpleasant stimulus (pain) in order to increase his desired result (compliance). This type of learning has been well documented to be effective in acquiring immediate results as basic motivations such as pain or hunger tap into evolutionary survival tactics. However, this degree of negative reinforcement has also been associated with many other unwanted side effects (such as false testimonies, conditioned fear response, and fear generalization). Yet, A man like Ramsay who only cares to inflict pain would not care in the least about the side effects of his methods, as long as they produced immediate results. 

To increase his success, Ramsay spent much time researching what men feared. We see a good deal of this in season 3 as he devotes much of his screen time to breaking down Theon’s character through the use of physical, emotional, sexual, and psychological torture. As he perfected the art of breaking men down, he began to focus his skills towards controlling those nearest him. One of the best methods for doing this was to acquire power.

It’s not until later in his life that we see Ramsay start to acquire power in the form of position. As he becomes the rightful heir to the Bolton House and marries Sansa, he learns how alluring titles can be and his desire for power begins to grow. As another method to control those around him, it would make sense that he would do whatever it took to keep his newfound status. Even as his family began to threaten it, we saw just how far he would go to protect what is his.

In summation, Ramsay Bolton’s character demonstrates a hedonistic growth as his screen time runs on. He started as a sadist who enjoyed the simple act of torture, but then turned to a man who would utilize his skills to acquire power for himself. When anyone threatened his power, including his own father or brother, Ramsay would dispose of them to protect what he believed was his. Although his motivations seemed to shift as he was granted status, his ultimate desire for obedience and control never wavered. This, along with many other reasons, is why his death was so fitting. After Sansa’s speech about how everything he had built would fade out of memory, it was the final blow that inevitably proved her point as those most loyal to him were the ones to kill him.

Good dog!

Ramsay Bolton meets far more than the mandatory 3 out of 7 minimum symptoms for Antisocial Personality Disorder 301.7 (F60.2)

Failure to conform to laws and often breaks them

Often deceiving others for personal profit or pleasure

Demonstrates impulsivity and failure to plan ahead

Prone to violence and aggression

Reckless disregard to safety of others

Consistent irresponsibility

Lacks remorse or guilt in his actions

[reeldisorders-blog]

Virtual Love: What Makes Us Fall For Artificial Intelligence?

Whether we like it or not, technology is becoming a larger part of our everyday lives, from the cell phones we carry to the laptops we work on. However, this trend has been ever-present in film, as long as science fiction has been on screen. Technological advances generally start as a method to improve human life but as soon as we design technology with a consciousness, that is when all hell breaks loose.

The typical moviegoer understands this trope far too well, with blockbusters like The Terminator or The Matrix. Man invents artificial intelligence, A.I. rebels against man, man then bows down to their robot overloads. As long as I can remember, this pattern has been basic movie 101. However, recently I’ve been seeing a different trend on the big screen. Instead of fighting these machines, what about developing relationships with them or even loving them? Should technological/human relationships exist and if so, to what degree?

Android and Chill, anyone?

I believe that these films pose important questions and offer great insight into the hypotheticals of the future. It’s known that the United Nations has debated on topics brought to the public’s attention by science fiction giants such as Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica, so perhaps we too should consider these topics. 

Would the representatives from planet Qo'noS care to speak?

Ever since my first viewing of Star Wars, I remember empathizing with R2D2. His beeps and whistles were unintelligible noises but I, like many others, projected my own feelings on to him. I cared when he was in danger and rejoiced when he overcame the odds, so it shouldn’t be too hard to understand how the x-wing fighter pilots were able to develop close relationships with their droids. However, when we start discussing “romantic” relationships, this is when the topic becomes a bit more taboo.

Recent films such as Her (2013) tell us something about our need for companionship while Ex Machina (2015) challenges our concept of beauty and sexuality. Yet their themes surround the concept of a human/A.I. romantic relationship, defined in today’s culture as a fetish: a form of sexual desire in which gratification is linked to a particular object, item of clothing, or part of the body.

So how do individuals develop this intense affection towards a machine? Psychology teaches us that it’s through the process of Classical Conditioning. This term was made famous by scientist Ivan Pavlov, in which he demonstrated that bodily reflexes (a dog salivating) could be associated with a neutral stimulus (the ringing of a bell). When this occurs, the biological reaction is then trained to demonstrate whenever the neutral stimulus is presented. In regards to a fetish, this can present when a bodily reaction (sexual arousal) is paired up with a neutral stimulus (like high heeled boots) so that eventually only the presentation of high heels will evoke sexual arousal.

... I’ll be right back ....

Even though a romantic association can occur between a human and machine, it won’t stick without a strong reinforcement being present. The need to reproduce is an incredibly strong reinforcer for all animals, with humans being no exception. This is why the robots in films are designed to illustrate sexuality in their appearance. I think of the Fembots from Austin Powers or Gigolo Joe from A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) who were designed with the specific appearance to attract a particular person. With the individual’s perfect partner literally being manufactured for them, it’s easy to see how these machines meet the patron’s desires.

Jude Law; meeting our desires since 2001

Along with appearance, attraction is in behavior. The way one moves, the way they think and act out their choices. This seamlessly trivial point is actually where A.I. becomes a far stronger reinforcement than pre-programmed robots. As A.I. learns, it tends to grow which is often reflected in the decisions it makes. Similar to a human being, they can often be unpredictable in how they develop. This unpredictability is what makes that attraction so strong between humans (just as It does for A.I.).

The fact that we cannot predict what will happen next often has us coming back for more with eager anticipation. Think of a slot machine at a casino: the unpredictability of a win keeps you hoping that your next pull will be “the one” and when you finally get a payout, you are further reinforced to come back for more. This is called an intermittent reinforcement schedule. Instead of predicting what will happen with a pre-programmed robot vacuum, A.I. tends to surprise us, which keeps us coming back for more, eagerly anticipating our next surprise.

“Bae, You never surprise me like you used to anymore!”

Our brains are built to deal with our ancestor’s struggle for survival, days in which we were part of the food chain rather than high above it. With the sudden leaps in technology, our brains have not had the time to evolve when it comes to making specific distinctions, which in turn leads to generalization. The feelings we get from talking to a computer screen are often very similar to that of being in front of a living person since our brains often are unable to distinguish the difference on a chemical level. The neurotransmitters we produce that are associated with love and belonging spill over to associate with these new stimuli in our lives, which in turn creates another association with our need for technology. Everything comes back to classical conditioning.

So why isn’t everyone on team A.I.? Much is unknown about artificial intelligence and the media often portrays it as the determinant for an apocalyptic future. However, some advocates for A.I. relationships state that it could be therapeutic in helping those with social anxiety overcome their symptoms. It could also help those who have gone through a bad break up recover enough to establish a healthy relationship (similar to Ryan Gosling’s character in Lars and the Real Girl).

Hey Girl, I don’t mind if you’re made from silicon and fiberglass You’re beautiful just the way you are.

While the true nature of A.I. relationships will be a mystery until their development, we can always turn to science fiction to contemplate its place in our world. Rather than just the classic tropes of robot wars, it’s kind of entertaining to debate a different perspective on man’s relationship with machines. However the turn out, we can always learn from a different perspective.

I published this article on Film Inquiry. You can see it here! http://filminquiry.com/virtual-love-makes-us-fall-artificial-intelligence/

[reeldisorders-blog]

The Feral Child: What A Real Life Mowgli Would Look Like

Filmgoers have always been captivated with man’s primal nature. From the silver screen adaptations of The Wolf Man to the mysterious Creature from the Black Lagoon, the primitive side of these movie monsters has contributed to horror genre’s A-team roster. Upon viewing their animalistic nature, we are given a glimpse into the missing link between man and beast. While the exploitation of man’s battle with primal urges is a common trope, it’s not until children get involved that the theme becomes a little less cut and dry.

Speaking of “cut and dry”... 

When confronted with a feral child (those raised apart from human enrichment) we often find ourselves unsure how to act. Part of us aches to care for these children, to save them, while another part feels that they may be a lost cause, never to integrate back into society. Fortunately, Disney’s latest live action adaptation, The Jungle Book, doesn’t force us to make this decision as it provides us with a glossed over wild child, complete with catchy show tunes.

We watch as a morally strong and abstract thinking Mowgli (Neel Sethi) is able to expertly survive his adventures amongst the anthropomorphic jungle animals. However, the depiction of this feral child’s abilities are highly exaggerated as scientific case studies demonstrate the deficits exhibited by children raised in the wild.

Another movie going experience ruined, courtesy of science!

Children begin developing behaviors through the process of observational learning, in which one person models a behavior and the other mimics it. In Mowgli’s case, the concept of “monkey see, monkey do” has never been more on the nose. While he demonstrates some animal influenced characteristics, such as walking on all fours in order to climb a flight of stairs, Mowgli demonstrates overall normal human behavior (i.e. standing straight, sitting cross legged, building tools).

Not to mention his jazzy Lindy Hop!

While his posture and stance could be explained by instinctual drift, or a tendency for an animal to revert back to behaviors common for it’s species, Mowgli’s actions should in reality mirror those of his furry compatriots. A true feral child will exemplify behaviors they witness most often. Reports of feral children in Russia raised exclusively around birds would flap their arms when startled, while those living amongst dogs would often bark when communicating their needs. Mowgli’s behaviors exhibit a slight influence from his environment but nowhere near those that should be seen, provided his unique upbringing.

Now, language is arguably one of our defining traits as humans and the acquisition of language is most present at a young age. For Mowgli, he learned to speak the languages of animals. While in the film it states that some of the animals lack a common vernacular, Mowgli is still able to converse with a great number of species.

Many linguists believe that children have a critical period of development (the first few years) in which primary language, amongst other skills, are easier to master. It’s during this early development that neural connections are still growing rapidly and a child’s mind is like a sponge, ready to soak up any new information. Mowgli’s exposure to the diverse jungle inhabitants equipped him with a large set of language skills, as well as cognitive abilities (e.g. complex thinking).

While Mowgli demonstrates the ability for abstract reasoning, real world feral children are not so lucky. The unfortunate reports of neglected children have demonstrated that a lack of language enrichment leads to difficulty in understanding abstract thoughts or critical thinking, something that Mowgli demonstrates throughout his on screen debut.

Dude, wtf? I was just sitting here abstractly thinking

Raised by wolves, the 10-year-old Mowgli attempts to discover where he falls within the animal kingdom. While he abides by the strict law of the pack, he can’t help but utilize his human ingenuity to solve the problems he’s presented with. For his age, Mowgli would fall within the psychosocial stage of development called competence vs. inferiority, at which a child will either develop a sense of pride for their achievements or feel inferior due to their failures.

Mowgli best demonstrates this by developing and constructing tools when confronted with a challenge. By succeeding in the trials set before him, Mowgli demonstrates pride in his work and a competence in his overall ability. Interestingly enough, a real feral child would also develop competence in their ability to survive in the wilderness. Such skills as hunting, climbing, or building a shelter would be of great importance to them, as these would be the behaviors most relied on for survival. It wouldn’t be until the child attempted to reintegrate into human society that they would then fall towards the inferiority end of the spectrum, as their previous skills are no longer relevant.

Coconut telephones aren’t trending just yet 

Common behaviors we take for granted such as: toilet training, language skills, even proper posture would become a great struggle for a newly acculturated feral child. This seemed to be understood by the Jungle Book’s original author, Rudyard Kipling, as he wrote about Mowgli’s difficulty in transition back to the human village.

Mowgli’s adventures within the jungle provide him with an overly stimulating environment, as it holds lush vegetation for climbing and grand rivers for swimming. However, the most important element it lacks is the love and belonging of human companionship. This social aspect is so important for us humans that if we are refused it early on, it can end up stunting our neurological growth and even delaying our developmental milestones.

Research into the overcrowded Romanian orphanages has indicated that a lack of human interaction during early stages of life can permanently alter the brain’s development. This can lead to difficulties in academic achievements, socialization, and even developing attachments to others. Thankfully, Mowgli acquires that love and attention early on with his wolf parents. However, a true feral child would attempt to develop a level of attachment with whatever possible, even inanimate objects, as the fundamental desire of love and belonging is a universality we all hold dear.

Appropriate for all ages

While Hollywood’s depictions for psychological symptoms are rarely accurate, they occasionally get things right (I think of Lars from Lars and the Real Girl or John Nash from A Beautiful Mind). However, a more accurate demonstration of feral child behavior can be seen in Lenny Abrahamson’s 2015 Room, in which a mother and her son are held captive within a small shed.

The child’s behaviors in this film mirror those of previous case studies as he lacks the coping skills required to easily transition into society. His situation is heart breaking as we root for his inevitable safety, but are unsure of how successful he will be in his acculturation. While The Jungle Book caters to a younger demographic, it does not provide the vivid imagery demonstrated by real feral children. Yet, it is still interesting to observe how close Hollywood’s on screen adaptions are to the real thing.

I’ve also published this article on Film Inquiry! You can read it, and many other film related articles Here

[reeldisorders-blog]

Reel Disorder - Theon Greyjoy (Spoilers Season 5)

Pride can be a very large weight to carry. Its presence is motivating and our actions often seek to protect it. Yet, the consequences of a deadly sin are rarely positive. Theon Greyjoy’s decision to move against his surrogate family was entirely motivated by his pride. Born to the Iron Islands, his legacy derived from a great house beaten into submission during an unsuccessful rebellion. His heritage meant very little to the outside world, yet to a boy captured by the enemy and taken away from his land, pride was enough motivation to turn against the only family he truly knew. 

When the Boltons captured Theon many of us believed he deserved all that was coming to him. The Starks had been beaten down and we wanted some form of retribution for the slights against them. However, as his torment continued, a slight divide began to develop between our hatred towards Theon and our empathy against his torture. At the helm of his punishment was the unknown evil of Ramsay Snow. Here was a sick individual that made Joffrey look tame (how is that even possible?!) While Ramsay’s analysis is sure to come, this article is dedicated towards Theon and the psychology behind his transformation into the being known as Reek. 

I can’t wait to diagnose this psychopath

Ramsay knew exactly what to do in order to break down a person, for an individual to be broken means that they lack the will for resistance and therefore are more susceptible to another’s will. Breakdowns can occur in someone’s life and in Theon’s example, this led to an acceptance of the situation and an inability to change it. In other words, Theon Grejoy is a prime example of Learned Helplessness.

In the 1960′s and 70′s, and before a strong ethics committee, an American Psychologist by the name of Martin Seligman conducted a controversial experiment utilizing dogs and electric shock. In order to demonstrate learned helplessness, he would take a group of dogs and harness them down within a cage while administering electric shocks to them. Naturally, they would attempt to escape their confines and the pain but ultimately were unsuccessful. Eventually as time went on the dogs would cease to resit and accept their inability to escape. When the harnesses were then removed and an exit was provided for them, the dogs would not leave, but instead lay down and painfully accepted their electrical fate, regardless of the freedom before them. 

Sound familiar? 

Now, the experimenters believed that this passive resignation was fueled by the belief that no matter what they did, they could not escape their situation. You see, when a second group of dogs weren’t harnessed and administered the shocks, they would immediately attempt to escape the cage. Yet the harnessed dogs learned a hopelessness that extended past the experiment and infiltrated their everyday lives. Now the experimenters did help the harnessed dogs learn to overcome their helplessness and eventually recover from the trauma, but imagine if that traumatic situation would never stop. How would an individual learn to cope with their inescapable fate?  

Stretching sometimes works

When Ramsay decided to remake Theon’s identity into that of Reek he used a form of behavioral psychology called Operant Conditioning. Ramsay would hit Theon every time he failed to state his name as Reek, yet as Theon began to abide by Ramsay’s orders, the pain would reside. This type of conditioning is called Negative Reinforcement, or that something is being taken away (pain) in order to encourage behavior to continue (referring to himself as Reek). Operant conditioning has been used to tame animals, teach children, and any situation in which an alternative behavior is desired. Ramsay’s experience with torture would make him an expert in operant conditioning as he maliciously uses it to bend others to his whim. 

NOOO!!! Get out of there, man!

Based upon his months of torture, it’s obvious that Reek has some form of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (see criteria below). His demonstrated behaviors exhibit anxiety, flashbacks, nightmares, and uncontrollable thoughts about his abuse. Even his twitches could be coping mechanisms he developed to relieve the anxiety of his captivity. The way he shrugs his shoulders, blinks his eyes and his uncontrollable neck surges are closely related to a Tic Disorder, in which a motor movement is repeated obsessively and somewhat involuntarily in order to relieve stress. The compulsive behaviors Reek exhibits are his body’s attempt to cope with his situation by offering him a method of release (i.e. his movements). It could be that his Tics developed while being strapped down to the cross. In that immobile position, twitching his body may have been his only method to move or relieve pain. Now that his body has learned this specific coping skill, he compulsively repeats it in order to acquire the same effect. 

Why couldn’t he twitch here?!

Reek’s situation and his behaviors can be related to those individuals stuck in abusive relationships, where domestic violence, sexual assault, or other traumas are occurring. Many people don’t understand the reason a victim stays in these relationships, given the terrible behaviors acted upon them. However as we see with Reek, when he is given an opportunity to leave, his actions are similar to that of the dogs that stayed within the cage. This new reality has become his truth and a greater fear exists in what would happen if he left. 

Now in the Season 5 finale, we finally see Reek rebel against the Boltons and help Sansa escape Winterfell. What changed his helplessness and spurred him on to action? Like that of sexual assault or domestic violence, when a long term victim witnesses someone they care about going through a similar situation, they are fueled to take action to stop it from occurring (older sister that divulges about her sexual assault in order to protect younger sister from a similar one or a son that purposely provokes an abusive father’s rage in order to protect his family). While Reek had learned to accept his fate, Theon could not stand by and watch Sansa go through the same hell that he had. Even though his actions did not remit his past sins, his redemption saved Sansa from a similar fate and perhaps placed Theon on a road to recovery.  

A long, long, loooong road to recovery...

I wanted to conclude this article by including some resources for sexual assault and domestic violence. If you or anyone you know is experiencing forms of abuse, you can reach out to these organizations for information and help. They’re made up of professionals in the field who are trained for precisely these situations. By seeking out help you are not weak, but instead strong enough to care.

RAINN

https://rainn.org/get-information/types-of-sexual-assault

National Domestic Violence Hotline

http://www.thehotline.org/

[reeldisorders-blog]

Reel Disorders - Nightcrawler (2014)

If he wants something, he takes it. This is the personal mantra of Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) in Dan Gilroy’s directed Nightcrawler. Similar to the car accidents his character chases, watching Gyllenhaal’s performance is shocking, yet you can’t look away. From the first 10 minutes you’re told all you need to know about Louis Bloom. As he chokes out a security guard for his watch, we see that Bloom has no respect for the wellbeing of others, no fear of consequences, and no problem manipulating a situation for his own personal gain. In other words, he is a psychopath. When presented with this label, we often conjure up thoughts of Hannibal Lector, Norman Bates, or the Joker. But the truth is that a successful psychopath can, and often does, blend in with everyone else.

13 years and they still don’t suspect a thing

Now, this is not to say that there are a plethora of psychopaths hiding amongst us. In a twelve-month study conducted by the American Psychological Association, the prevalence rates for the disorder were between 0.2% and 3.3% of the population (APA, 2013).

But then why do we believe that psychopaths are so common in society? This state of thinking is called the availability heuristic; that we believe something is more prevalent because we see it more often. Think of Jaws from 1975. when that movie hit, people avoided the beach like the plague while shark hunting skyrocketed, leading to a 50% decline in U.S. shark populations. The fear that accompanied the film made people believe that shark attacks were more common than they actually were, which influenced society to take safety measures against them. 

Poor sharks. Look at that big smile

Now how does this relate to psychopaths? Hollywood has done a great job at associating two terms with violent criminals and mass murders, those of psychopathy and sociopathy. If a criminal shows little empathy or is crazy with bloodlust then he must be a psychopath. However, the pop-psychology terms of psychopath and sociopath relate to the all too real diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) which while not as violent as Hollywood would lead you to believe, is made up of it’s own criteria for diagnosing. 

Bloom’s character demonstrates many of these symptoms during the film as he attempts to elevate his position. He’s not above manipulating a crime scene for a good shot, creating violent situations to get news footage, or even putting others at risk so that he can get an exclusive. From the way that Bloom plays others like pawns on a chessboard, it is apparent that he views everyone else as disposable on his climb towards success. These symptoms adhere to someone with APD. 1) Lack of remorse or guilt for his actions & 2) disregard for the safety or others. The way that he pushes his camera into the face of a dying man or the manner in which he manipulated a women to sleep with him often leaves you with the eerily cold feeling that evil incarnate is right in front of you. 

Never mind. He’s too good looking to be evil!

Bloom is a meticulous character that prides himself in efficiency and success. He reads up on motivation online, his apartment is scrubbed clean, and he adheres to ritual and tradition. However, this careful planning and orchestration are not common with APDs as they demonstrate impulsivity and failure to plan ahead. Their selfish behaviors are most commonly focused on finding an optimum level of arousal, or seeking out high-risk activities regardless of the dangers to themselves. While he does demonstrate some impulsive actions (i.e. his driving), Bloom’s character tends to break this mold of impulsivity during other parts of his life for the purpose of the story (as a “fly by the seat of your pants” antihero would most likely not be as successful).

When a situation threatens an individual with APD, they may act out violently. Aggression and violence are criteria that demonstrate within the diagnosis. However, the violence APDs display is impulsive and reckless (screaming profanities or a fight driven by passion). When Bloom acts violently, he reverts back to his calm and collective manner, often scheming methods to destroy you. Think of how Bloom cuts the break line of his rival’s van or that he lies to his partner, sending him to his death. Even the aggression that Bloom displays is planned out carefully, which speaks more to his individual character and less to the model of a psychopath. 

I don’t always make plans, but when I do they’re often about your demise.

Another telling sign of an APD is their lack of close relationships. Bloom’s character had no ties and the relationships he develops are solely business in nature (until he manipulated them to gain leverage). When he meets Nina (Rene Russo), he is seeking to learn and grow from her experience. However, as soon as he learns of her weakness (ratings during sweeps week), he holds his work as leverage over her. Similarly, when Bloom hires Rick (Riz Ahmed) to navigate for him, Bloom holds he threat of employment over Rick as motivation to do better work. As many of Bloom’s behaviors support his selfish desires, he frequently lies and deceives others for his benefit. 

While I watched Gyllenhaal’s performance I could feel my skin crawl. For me, the creepiest thing about Bloom was the way he presented himself to others. Much of what he says sounds robotic, like he memorized it from a Wikipedia page. There is no personality to back up his speech, nothing but logical well thought out sayings with every word holding heavy meaning. On top of that, his slim built and his lack of social interactions supports his claim that he studies all day on his computer. Bloom’s obsession with achieving success often isolates him from others, and at times fuels his grandiose persona.

Not blinking helps his creep factor as well!

While many of Blooms traits support a diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder, he demonstrates a stronger impulse control and much more planning than your average APD. So what do these extra amounts of symptoms do for the character? It offers the underlying anxiety of what’s to come. The tension that mounts with careful planning often captivates an audience more than an impulsive action. There is a huge difference between punching someone who insulted you and planning for days on a way to destroy their life. This is why pre-meditated crime and APD is a match made in movie heaven, and one that we frequently see on the big screen. 

[reeldisorders-blog]

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) and the Gang Initiation of Kylo Ren

Do you chose the dark side or the light? I remember grappling with this decision as a young child, often wavering between one or the other. However, the choice seemed trivial in the end, often based on who had the coolest force attacks or lightsaber colors. I was never “seduced” to one side or the other and the decision didn’t hold much weight in my mind. This was not the case for the lead antagonist of TFA, Kylo Ren (Ben Solo), who was pulled from the light towards the dark side. During my viewings of the film I observed that the methods used by the First Order to turn Ben were extremely similar to gang initiation tactics used to acquire new members. By analyzing Ben’s motivations and emotions we can understand how and why the character of Kylo Ren was born.

No matter how you might see it, a gang offers something important for it’s affiliates. These needs often take the form of family, position, purpose, and power and in the case of Ben Solo, we can see how he longed for each of these. Ben was shipped away from his parents during his adolescents to train under his uncle. According to the developmental psychologist Erik Erikson, This is an incredibly important stage of psychosocial development. It is here that an individual struggles with the concept of identity and role confusion. Teenagers attempt to refine a sense of self by trying out many roles in order to see what sticks. Do you remember how many things you tried before finding out what made you, you? With his parents not around to offer him guidance, Ben looks to the one thing being taught to him and attempts to define his identity around it; his competence and strength with the force.

I had a slightly different path in forming an identity...

While the reasons for Ben turning on his fellow students are unclear, I believe it was around this time that 2 things happened. The first was that Ben learned about his Grandfather and the power held by Darth Vader. Since power was Ben’s motivation for his identity, it would make sense that he would be drawn towards a similar path as his Grandfather. The second influence would be the introduction of supreme leader Snoke and his influence on Ben turning to the dark side. Everything we see about Snoke suggests that he understands gang initiation tactics. Even the way he presents himself to his subordinates as a large and menacing hologram is an intimidation tactic similar to menacing tattoos, scars or brands, and pimped out swag that demonstrate status above all others.

Notice how much you desire to join this gang? 

In understanding why Ben turned sides, we have to acknowledge what needs he required met. There are a handful of universal motivators for any human and according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs we often prioritize them. In his recruitment of Ben, Snoke appeals to some strong motivators such as: belongingness and love, self-actualization (meeting our full potential), and self-transcendence (achieving something higher then one’s self). Needs, such as the need to belong within a community and be accepted are incredibly strong within out species. 

Being alone isn’t for everyone

For Ben, being sent away from his family was incredibly hard on him. He began to seek out belongingness and it was Snoke who provided it for him. In the First Order, Ben feels as if he is accepted as a leader and that his talents are admired. This challenges Ben to hone his talents in the force, which increase his own self-esteem, and motivates him to achieve self-actualization. The First Order also provides Ben with something bigger than just him, the chance to “improve” the galaxy by ruling under one regime (self-transcendence). 

Snoke offered Ben purpose, something that many youth seek out desperately. By traveling down the same path as his Grandfather, Ben could understand his own power and how to hone his skills. Snoke also bestowed Ben with position as leader of the first order, a new persona (Kylo Ren), and the power to issue commands as he saw fit. This is incredibly enticing for someone who feels that they have no power early in life (being sent away from his family and not having a choice in the matter). In Ben’s mind, he was being given everything he desired, however much he was being used to further another’s cause.   

Since a gang is often considered by it’s members to be a family, acceptance and entry is highly sought after. This is where “testing” a recruit’s alliance comes into play. As a member, one must prove themselves to earn the respect and trust of those near them. In the First Order, this is accomplished by recruiting other followers and killing those in opposition. Gang warfare is often motivated by dominion over territory, property, or people and this is no exception. The fact that the First Order no longer uses clone armies insinuated that they recruit followers into their regime. As Finn stated: “They took him away from his family when he was a child and taught him to kill”. The recruitment of children into gangs is an extremely useful tactic as it ensures children form attachment and loyalty to the gang and no one else.  

The other way to prove loyalty is to kill those in opposition to the gang’s cause. Kylo Ren has no problem killing those that rival the First Order, as seen by his lack of hesitancy during the first 20 mins village scene. Ren even demonizes the resistance calling them “murders, traitors, and thieves”, demonstrating his strong distaste for them. However, it is when he confronts his father, a leader for the resistance, that he faces his greatest test. By killing his father, he severs his past ties and demonstrates his unconditional obedience to the First Order and all that they stand for. 

Oh god... The feels

Kylo Ren is one of the most complex villains in the Star Wars universe. His need for identity, purpose, and power are what make him susceptible to the First Order’s recruitment. His personal conflicts and desperate need to keep his position are what motivate him to pass the gang’s initiation. After analyzing the motivations and emotions that lead to his shift to the dark side, I look forward to seeing how his character develops down the line.   

[reeldisorders-blog]

Reel Disorders - District 9 (2009) How we Psychologically Develop Racism & How to Move Past it.

If extraterrestrials came down from the sky and made contact with us, what would you think? Would you have thoughts of acceptance or worries of danger? And then, when you finally see these aliens yourself, would there be anything that could change your previous held beliefs? These are topics investigated heavily in Neill Blomkamp’s film District 9, in which creatures from another world come to live among us. By investigating the psychological development of prejudice, you can better understand the discrimination in your own life and the things that reinforce it. 

If we’re trying to describe behaviors, we can often look at the evolutionary reason for them existing (what helped our ancestors survive). One useful technique that kept us safe was the concept of generalization.

 “ If that red berry over there made Joe sick or that long fanged cat ate Steve, then I should probably stay away from all red berries and large cats.”

You can see how this train of thinking would be beneficial to your survival since it keeps you away from harmfully related things. And while we develop generalization to keep us safe, we also organize and group things to help them make sense. You see, humans LOVE to group things together. it’s a crazy obsession that we rarely think about because it’s so natural to us. So how does this relate to a concept like racism? 

Looking at this picture, what is the first thing you observe? Do you see 3 apples and 1 orange Or do you see 4 pieces of fruit? Uh huh... That’s what I thought, you damn Fruitist!! 

You see, discrimination doesn’t mean that someone is racist, but it certainly is a precursor to prejudice. The discrimination of grouping happens when we’re toddlers learning the difference between a cat and a dog. These manners of differentiating and grouping things in our world are called schemas. All cars have 4 wheels, all birds can fly, and all pie is delicious. It’s not until we come across something that doesn’t fit these rules that we start to really scrutinize things.

Come on penguins. Get with it.

So let’s talk about aliens. We see these giant bipedal insect aliens come down from space. How do we group them according to our schemas? Are they just giant cockroaches and therefore should be treated like bugs? Or, are they more like homo sapiens because they walk upright and developed technology? We have just moved from categorizing them, to how we should treat them based upon our experience with similar organisms. 

Now, imagine that one of these new creatures, of which you have no previous experience with, suddenly does something that could be considered hostile. Well, if another human had been hostile to you, you could probably write it off as them being a jerk of having a bad day, because you’re used to people acting this way. But when an alien does something hostile, your caveman brain is thinking back about the saber tooth tiger that ate Steve! That ALL aliens must be capable of this act and therefore should be labeled as dangerous. 

Quick! He’s lifting up his hands like the other one! Get Him!!

Much of this belief comes from a lack of information. We generalize because we don’t have enough evidence to prove otherwise. Not only does this protect us from harm, but it also saves us time and energy since we can easily write something off as dangerous and don’t need to investigate it further. These “short-cuts” in thinking are called Heuristics. 

If you’re in the grocery store looking for Ketchup, where do you go to find it? Probably down the isle with all the condiments, right?  

Heuristics can save you a lot of time by pointing you in the direction that makes sense. But there is a big difference between Ketchup and sentient beings. This train of thought can also lead to problems when you generalize too much and stop searching for any differences. This is how stereotypes and prejudice develop. A specific train of thought has taken hold and is often generalized to other individuals with similar characteristics.     

“Ignorance leads to fear, fear leads to hate, hate leads to the dark side”

Now if aliens came to earth right now, we would already have prejudice and discrimination towards them, even though we’ve never met them. Our culture has already created the heuristics of extraterrestrials by the countless movies, literature, and media exposure. Based upon the decades of advertisement stating that aliens are evil, we develop this “Us vs. Them” perspective, in which an alien wouldn’t even have chance of creating an alternate persona. This is how racism, or speciesism, develops.

Come in peace, my ass!! I’ve seen movies!!

So we get it, we understand how these prejudices develop. But what about moving past them? Well, for this to happen, you have to be able to care about the thing you have prejudice against. One of the best ways a film can make us care about aliens is to show us similarities between them and us. This leads us to feel empathy towards them as we tend to see a little bit of ourselves in them. If all you are presented with is a snarling beast that destroys anything it touches, then you will more likely relate it to an animal than a person. However, if you are presented with the alien from E.T. then your more likely to relate it to a dumpy looking 4th grader and start to develop an affection towards it.  

Aww! You can have all the Reese’s Pieces, buddy!

By exposing yourself to another’s race, ethnicity, or culture, you are more likely to find similarities between the both of you. These similarities will extend farther than the fact that you both have hands or a nose, but to deeper things such as: morals, respect, love, and sorrow. Putting yourself out there takes a lot of energy because it requires an open mind, patience, and a willing to learn. While it’s unlikely that you will be exposed to the entire culture immediately, you will probably begin to notice the similarities between the both of you, which will encourage you to develop your own un-biased opinion. In the end, this is how you can move past the pre-conceived beliefs of racism and stereotypes. 

[reeldisorders-blog]

Reel Disorders - Chronicle (2012)

Is there anyone among us who hasn’t dreamed of having superpowers? when the television remote is just out of reach or you find yourself in a traffic jam early in the morning; how great would it be to just float the remote to your hand or ditch your car and fly away? Some of us have even considered the “dark vs. light” debate on how we would use our powers and in doing so, realize that it’s rarely so black and white. This philosophy gets tested when 3 teens are endowed with telekinetic powers in Josh Trank’s 2012 Chronicle. The film, for the most part, follows Andrew Detmer (Dane DeHann) as we see his conflict on which side of good or evil he belongs.

Well you do like cookies, don’t you?!

Now in psychology, we often have to examine an individual through multiple lenses in order to understand how they got to a certain point. This method of analysis is called the Biopsychosocial method. No one thing influences a person’s behavior or sense of self, but a myriad of factors often cumulate to determine who we are. 

The first step of analysis are the biological influences. These are things like genetic predispositions, adaptive traits, and brain mechanisms. So what do we know about Andrew specifically? Well, he’s a teenager. This means his hormones are completely out of control. it makes sense that he would act out impulsively and fluctuate between moods. It also makes sense that he would be very egocentric and think his beliefs are the most important (as many teens do).

The real kicker is it’s his SECOND receipt tattoo...

Next in the Biopsychosocial approach is the psychological influences. These are things like learned expectations and emotional responses. One of the most famous psychological experiments, often called the Bobo doll experiment, illustrated the impact of observational learning when it came to violence. A trained researcher would beat up a clown doll in front of a watching child in order to demonstrate aggression. Afterwards, when the child was then stressed, they would also revert to violence and aggression in order to deal with their problems. Andrew has learned from his father that aggression is how you get what you want and when he finally has power, he utilizes it to deal with his issues. 

Mom! I said I wanted a corvette! Gawd!! 

And the final piece to the 3-pronged method of analysis is social-cultural influences. This can be determined by familial expectations and the presence of a peer group. Since Andrew has always felt like an outcast, he doesn’t reach out for help but instead attempts to deal with his problems himself (the lightening storm when Steve dies, stealing money for his mother’s medication). Andrew’s negative experiences in social situations have fostered the idea that he is always alone. Even when he finally develops friendships, he isn’t completely convinced that they are truly his friends. 

In their defense, being that “camera guy” isn’t a fast lane to popularity

The difficulty in diagnosing Andrew is that his case is not so cut and dry. Towards the last third of the film we see Andrew act out aggressively towards other individuals, but almost only towards those that have caused him pain in the past (the school bully, his father, the neighborhood thugs) indicating pent up rage towards these characters and not just ravage bloodlust. Also, Andrew believes he is an Apex Predator, but he still cares for his mother enough to steal money for her medication, suggesting compassion and empathy for loved ones. And when he finally begins fighting with his cousin, he has just woken up from a hospitalization and learned that his mother has died, which would greatly influence anyone’s emotional reactions.  

The corner stone of any psychological disorder is that there must be some amount of consistency in an individual’s thoughts or behaviors and that they span over a specific amount of time. This helps differentiate between lasting disorders and the byproducts of specific situations. Most of Andrew’s behaviors are to sporadic to really nail down any one motivation. Plus, since he dies at the end of the film, we can’t see how he feels following his fight and whether he has completely turned dark side. If he was the “Rainmaker” from Looper, we could follow the shift as he grows up and have a better indication of his consistency. 

Yup, good ol’ consistency   

With that being said, Andrew does demonstrate similar symptoms to those with Conduct Disorder (the child/adolescent version of Antisocial Personality Disorder). If Andrew is under the age of 18, his violation of the basic rights of others could meet the criterion for this diagnosis. Andrew demonstrates that he can be physically cruel to living things, has stolen while confronting a victim and deliberately destroyed others’ property during the film’s finale. However, the hesitation of slapping that diagnosis on Andrew is that: a) not enough information is known about his character and b) conduct disorder is a serious label that can severely shape a child’s future and the opportunities provided for them. 

While it might seem like a cop-out for me not to be sold on a diagnosis, the truth is that diagnosing is rarely so certain and often relies on the clinician’s opinion. Instead of condemning Andrew to a life of stigma, especially during such a pinnacle point in his self-development, more time should be given to examine his case. This could very well be the beginning of a conduct disorder diagnosis and with further information and observation, it could be the correct one.  

Although this scene did not help his case much

[reeldisorders-blog]

Reel Disorders - 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) Spoilers!!!

You know those characters that really get under your skin? I’m not talking about those individuals that senselessly spill blood or fill the archetype of a “bad guy”. I’m talking about those people who’s creepiness level is just vague enough to let your imagination fill in the blanks. this is how I felt after watching John Goodman’s performance as Howard in 10 Cloverfield Lane.

I remember the time my dad showed me his barrel of hydrofluoric acid

Oftentimes people will assign the title of “Psychopath” on a character to describe a scary and abnormal personality. But one of the corner stones of a psychopath (Anti-Social Personality Disorder) is the signature lack of empathy or ability to care for others. Howard does not meet the criteria of a psychopath, as he frequently understands the sorrow felt by Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) during their interactions (he admits it’s hard realizing all their loved ones are gone). Howard also cares very much for others and in his own warped way, believes that keeping them locked up will ensure their safety. 

Instead, Howard’s many pathological symptoms extend from his feelings of abandonment (a key feature in Borderline Personality Disorder). We learn that his wife and daughter (Megan) left him to move to Chicago. With the many references to Megan, it’s apparent that his daughter was a central part of his life. With that chronic feeling of emptiness and the stress-related paranoia, Howard seeks to fill that hole in his life with a substitute for his daughter. This is why he kidnaps the young high school girl, Britney, and has her pose as Megan. After her disappearance, Howard swaps in Michelle as another replacement for his daughter. 

“Better just pick up a 12-pack of daughters” #bunkersupplies

Although it’s just speculation, it could be that Howard actually ran Michelle off the road on purpose in order to bring her into the bunker to live with him as his surrogate daughter. One of my friends noticed that before the opening credits we see Michelle filling up her car with gas as she escapes her previous life. At that moment a large pickup, shrouded in darkness, pulls up next to her in the gas station. This could have been the moment Howard saw Michelle and decided to bring her with him. Similarly, after killing Emmett, Howard informs Michelle that it was always supposed to be just the two of them (signifying his initial plan the whole time).

“I only brought Lean Cuisine meals for two, Emmett!”

Without glossing over the huge WTF moment when Howard shoots Emmett, it should be noted that intense anger or difficulty controlling said anger is another telling sign of Borderline Personality Disorder. Coupled up with the fact that Howard never wanted Emmett in the bunker to begin with, we can see that all the factors point to the inevitable violence. We also see several of Howard’s outbursts, like the dinner room scene in which he corners Michelle accusing her of being a traitor and insulting his generosity. He desperately wants the tight knit feeling he once had and when something threatens that fantasy, he lashes out with violence. We even see him opening and closing his fists as a coping mechanism for his stress (this could be a form of progressive muscle relaxation that is used to deal with stress and anxiety).

“Say it with me: Goosfraba” 

Even Howard’s paranoia can be attributed to his feeling of stress brought about by the abandonment. By “protecting” his family, they never have to leave him. Therefore, Howard dedicates himself fully to the bunker in order to create a physical prison that will stop anyone from leaving him.

Worried about your loved ones leaving? Vault-Tech has the answer for you!

Howard’s character could meet criteria for PTSD from his 14 years of service in the Navy or a delusional disorder for his doomsday obsession. However, with the evidence provided, I believe that Borderline Personality Disorder fits his character best. Overall, great performances from John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and John Gallagher Jr. as well as an intense thrill ride worth seeing in theatres!

[reeldisorders-blog]

Reel Disorders - Spider-Man (2002)

For this diagnosis, let’s look at a staple father figure who after imparting some sound advice, dies in a tragic accident.

Nope, Not you...

I’m of course speaking about Norman Osborne played wonderfully by Willem Dafoe! Now if we’re going to talk about Norman, we have to talk about his alter-ego the Green Goblin and there in lies that sweet psychological diagnosis we all crave. See, Norman’s case conceptualization is an interesting one. Within the course of a week (and exposure to an experimental military grade chemical compound) he seems to develop multiple personalities. Although this shift eventually consumes him, Norman’s dissonance is not quelled until the final act of the film. 

Geez... This blog is turning grim!

All the death aside, Norman Osborne goes through a metamorphosis of interactions with his alter-ego throughout the film starting with denial and ending with acceptance, and even embrace, for his evil counterpart. But in order to understand how this drastic shift occurred, we have to understand the man himself.  

Norman is the CEO of Oscorp, a leading manufacturer of military technology. He’s under certain pressures to produce results for his company’s newest invention; a performance enhancing chemical compound, kinda like Captain America’s super soldier serum (but with less copyright infringement). However, the clinical trials prove to be unreliable with the leading scientist stating that a group of rodent test subjects exhibited side effects like “violence, aggression, and insanity (although, i’m not sure how you diagnose insanity in a rat).   

I literally just Googled “Crazy Rat”

But in order to save his company, Norman uses himself as a guinea pig to start human trials, because screw the scientific method! After inhaling the chemical compound and slightly dying, he’s resuscitated by a scientist who he promptly kills before stealing the military inventions. When Norman wakes up in his apartment the following morning, he cannot recall his actions the night before. This lapse in memory is important because it gives us an understanding of who is actually in control of Norman’s body. 

Multiple Personality, or Dissociative Identity Disorder, is a hot diagnosis in the media because the concept of numerous people in one body is thrilling and unpredictable. In history, this disorder would commonly be mistaken for possessions due to the characterization of two or more distinct personalties. For Norman, his personality seems pretty stable in the first half of the film (with the Goblin taking control only during nights). But as much of Norman’s legacy becomes threatened, the Goblin appears more frequently. 

Ugh! I meant the GOOD adaptation of Green Goblin. Not Face Herpes! 

In reality though, the Goblin only appears when Norman is at risk (losing his grant money, losing his seat as Oscorp’s CEO, losing his freedom to Spider-man). When we humans find ourselves in traumatic situations, our sympathetic nervous system kicks into gear in order to send adrenaline to the parts of the body required for action. When this occurs, people enter into 1 of 3 stages: fight, flight, or freeze. 

Your move human

The Green Goblin’s immediate reaction when faced with these stressors is to fight, this is why he murders anyone who poses a threat to him. Of course when this happens at first, it’s the Goblin, not Norman, who is in control of his actions. When Norman realizes what is happening, he confronts the Goblin who informs him that they are both to blame and that a pact between them would satisfy both their interests.

Now if the Goblin is triggered from the sympathetic NS being activated, then Norman’s control must be triggered from the Parasympathetic NS (the nervous system that controls cool down and a return to baseline). We get to see this in one scene before Norman arrives to a Thanksgiving dinner after just fighting with Spider-man. 

I feel the same way during my family Thanksgivings

As the movie goes on and his delusions grow, we see Norman accepting the Goblin’s thoughts as his own. By aligning himself with the Goblin, he believes he can acquire anything he desires and when he finally learns of Spider-man’s true identity, he puts his complete trust in the Goblin to help exterminate another threat. This leads to an epic showdown in which the Goblin holds both Mary Jane and a cable car full of children captive in an attempt to get Spider-man to choose who dies. Norman tells Spider-man: “We are who we choose to be”. This is the moment in which Norman has fully accepted his alternative personality and embraces the actions that follow.

During the final battle between Spider-man and the Goblin, Norman begs Peter to protect him against his alternative personality, stating that every heinous decision was made by the Goblin. Yet as Norman paints this facade, he positions the killing blow of his glider to strike Spider-man. The Goblin personality has taken over at this point and the Norman personality is merely used as a ruse. When the glider actually pierces his body, Norman’s final request is that Peter doesn’t tell Harry about his transformation indicating that even though the Goblin personality has taken control, Norman’s love for his son still exists.

Based upon Norman/The Goblin’s behaviors and actions on screen it is safe to assume that Dissociative Identity Disorder fits the bill. This disorder is often marked by a discontinuity in sense of self, alterations in affect or behavior, and lapses in consciousness and memory. While the Goblin would probably rather disintegrate a psychologist before being diagnosed, an accurate assessment may never exist.

^ Norman’s previous mental health providers  

[reeldisorders-blog]

Reel Disorders - The Babadook (2014)

Following grief and sorrow, us humans engage in numerous coping mechanisms to deal with the pain. Whether it’s popping in a Cure album, watching the same 90′s RomCom, or killing a pint of Ben and Jerry’s, we search for that thing to fill the void.

“Today, I will be a burrito”

But what if you have never dealt with your grief? what if you pushed it aside and hid it deep down, let’s say, in your basement? The Babadook is written and directed by Jennifer Kent and Stars Essie David (Amelia) and Noah Wiseman (Sam) as a family dealing with the turmoil of death and loss. 7 years prior, Sam’s father (Oskar) dies in a car accident while driving a pregnant Amelia to the hospital. As the anniversary of Oskar’s death approaches, a series of stressful events coincide and a menacing entity forms with the goal of destroying the family.

This film is chalk full of metaphor in order to describe the manifestation of stress, anxiety, and sorrow and if we begin to analyze it from a psychological standpoint, we might just understand the frailty of the human psyche. The Babadook it’s self is an outward manifestation of emotion that offers Amelia an escape from her responsibility as a struggling single mother and the grief of losing her husband.

As she never fully dealt with her previous trauma (not speaking about the accident with anyone), she spends her days coasting in life with hopes that it will suddenly get better. However, when intimacy does occur in her life (Sam hugging her too long, attempting to sleep in the same bed as her, the friendliness of a co-worker) Amelia pushes these feelings away in a somewhat self-flagellation enforced by her low self-esteem.

“Plus, kids sometimes kick in their sleep. Who wants that?”

Sam, throughout the film, is designing weapons to fend off monsters. he realizes that his mother deals with her own personal demons and attempts to protect her from being consumed by them in the only way he knows how, physically protecting her. in a climactic scene during the 3rd act, sam tells his shackled mother that he realizes she cannot love him because of her overabundance of grief.

This grief displays in other scenes as well. throughout the film, Amelia massages her right molar as if in pain. In psychology this is referred to as a psychosomatic pain, in which intense emotions can manifest in the body through physical ways. A soldier who mistakenly shoots a civilian may not be able to bend his trigger finger or a survivor of sexual assault may experience pain during intercourse. In Amelia’s case, her right molar corresponds with her being in the passenger seat when the car accident occurred 7 years prior.

“It’s Australia. Everything is Backwards.”

 When Amelia ends up killing her dog and finally pulls out her tooth, she no longer has that aching pain. At this moment, she realizes that killing her family will help her avoid the pain further. This is akin to the police reports of homicidal mothers who drown their children in order to release them from their earthy burdens.

Another theme during the film is insects. Bugs will make your skin crawl, will pop up in all sorts of places, and will always leave you with the eerie feeling that they are still on you. This swarming manifestation is similar to anxiety, which leaves an individual with the intense feeling to douse themselves in bug repellant. the hallucination of insects crawling over her body, out of a festering wound in her kitchen, and eventually making up the corporeal form of the Babadook, are all pointing to the creepy crawly anxious feeling we get when insects are near.

“Bleh!! Fuck you Fear Factor!”

But where did the initial red book come from? What dick of a publishing company makes a children’s pop-up guide to murdering your family? Bedtime stories are a common theme throughout the film as Amelia engages in the nighttime ritual with Sam every night. As fairytales are allegories for deeper meanings, the appearance of the Babadook suggests a way for Amelia to release the pain and resentment she feels by allowing an outside entity to “control” her actions. This provides Amelia with two things:

1) If she is being controlled, she does not have to deal with the guilt or responsibility of her actions (killing Sam).

2) By calling him “The Boy” instead of his name, she de-individualizes him, so that killing him will be easier.

“No No. See? It says right here I can murder you. It’s fine.”

The reality; Amelia created the book herself. It is revealed at her niece’s birthday party that Amelia used to be a children’s author, but has not worked recently. We witness Amelia sleep walking and waking in confusion over what she was just doing. And, later on when she reaches the police station and talks about the book appearing on her doorstep, she has dirty fingers stained with what looks like charcoal or ink. 

“Just... and art project. Nothing sinister, promise.”

When the Babadook finally possesses her, Amelia engages in the activities that she wishes to do without repercussions. Oversleeping, eating ice cream for dinner, watching TV all night, and sitting in a bathtub full of water while still in her clothes. Her actions now seem to be influenced primarily by her Id (Freud’s concept of juvenile indulgence for immediate satisfaction). It’s when real responsibilities get in the way, such as her hungry child or her employer angry over her absence, that she lashes out violently. 

“How can you say this isn’t a balanced meal?!”  

Towards the end of the film, Amelia is finally able to confront the Babadook and expel him from her room. In fear, the entity escapes to the one place he still has power, the basement amidst Oskar’s belongings. The movie ends with Sam and Amelia collecting insects and bringing them to the Babadook in order to feed and keep the grief at bay, locked away below the stairs. 

“It’s okay Babadook. Maybe one day you’ll become a Wizard!”

According to Amelia’s behaviors, thoughts, and emotional expressions, it is obvious that her previous trauma has deep influences on her present state. This is why Posttraumatic Stress Disorder fits her behaviors best before the possession. 

The resentment towards Sam’s father dying, the recurring dreams of the accident, difficulty sleeping, and the feeling of detachment from others are all signs of PTSD. Even the Psychosomatic disorder (right molar causing pain) could have manifested due to her previous trauma.

Of course, If the authorities has arrested Amelia, they would not have believed her Babadook story, and they would have sent her to a padded cell where a long bearded shrink would have asked her why she had a fascination with bug people in black cloaks. 

“Can you say a little bit more about your interest in tall, dark, mysterious men?”

If she was indeed hallucinating the whole ordeal, I would also like to tac on some extra diagnoses that might be given to her based upon her psychotic tendencies. Brief Psychotic Disorder can account for the delusions and hallucinations while Borderline Personality Disorder can speak to the angry outbursts, unstable affect, and paranoid ideation. 

Overall, a wonderful film that displays the outward manifestation of one family’s grief and the trials of battling that entity in order to save each other.