By Daniel Johnson, Staff Reporter
Pschology class explores mental illness in film
The Psychology and Film class, PSY 2233, was developed to focus on the portrayal of mental disorders in film and discuss whether those portrayals are accurate or inaccurate regarding the disorders referenced, said Full-time Psychology instructor Jane Bardal.
Mental illness is normally associated with violence in media and film and even though some tragic incidents occur, not all mentally ill individuals are violent, she said.
“The inaccuracies of mental disorders in film have a major impact on mentally ill people in a negative way, so we look at what is portrayed accurately, but more importantly, what is inaccurately portrayed in films like “A Beautiful Mind” and “Psycho”,” she said.
Looking at the symptoms, causes and treatments for major mental disorders is a big part of the core curriculum, she said.