Life of Pi Social Psychology
PSYCHOLOGY 101
APPLYING PSYCHOLOGY USING MOVIES
Choose one of the following movies:
Iris Philomena Life of Pi Hugo
Up 12 Years a Slave Lincoln The Descendants
Julie and Julia The Help Whale Rider
Most movies are available at public libraries and movie rental establishments/streaming sites. Some are available at Bard Library on the BCCC campus.
- Watch the movie.
- Apply 6 concepts (ideas) that we discussed in class or were discussed in the assigned textbook reading to explain specific behaviors in the movie.
- The concepts must be from at least 4 of the following 6 broad topics: neuroscience, states of consciousness, learning, memory, human development and social psychology (excludes personality, psychological disorders and therapy and any other chapters/topics not discussed this semester).
Use the following format for your assignment:
- At the top of the page indicate the movie that you watched.
- Name the broad topic; then name the specific concept.
- In paragraph form describe the scene in the movie (the behavior); define the concept; and describe how that concept was illustrated in that particular scene in the movie.
- See example below:
Curious George
1. Social Psychology: Bystander effect
When the news reporters arrived, they start asking questions, which makes Ted nervous. Suddenly, he sees George climbing a dinosaur exhibit, which starts to fall. He races after George as the dinosaur skeleton crumbles. Ironically, no one helped them get up. This is a good example of the concept called bystander effect under the principle of situationism. The bystander effect is a social factor that affects prosocial behavior: As the number if bystander at an emergency increases, the probability that the victim will receive help decreases, and the help, if given, is likely to be delayed.
Your grade will be based on following: the required format and directions, how well you define the concept, and how well you describe how the concept was illustrated in the movie
Overview
Life of Pi is a 2012 adventure drama film based on the 2001 bestselling novel of the same name by Yann Martel. It follows the life of Piscine Molitor “Pi” Patel, an Indian man living in Canada. The movie unwinds as “Pi” Patel regales a novelist of his life story and how, as a sixteen year old, he survived a shipwreck but lost his entire family and he is stranded on a life boat in the Pacific Ocean for 90 days with Richard Parker, a fierce Bengal Tiger. In the end, both Pi Patel and Richard Parker reach the shores of the ocean and despite the several months together at sea, which made the two interesting……………
