“What’s Up Doc?”
This assignment focuses on the psychologically rich world around us. Yo are asked to complete a pyschological profile of any one person featured in a documentary. Your review will be more substantial than the sample shown here,and you can use these films, because there are only dot points shown, but you also can use any other film if it meets these criteria.
Criteria for acceptance:
Film must be a documentary
It must be over 1 hour long
It must be about an issue or person which lends itself to a discussion of psychology (so is not only about a sports contest, or nature etc).
It can be about only one person or a few people (so the excellent “Amy” documentary about Winehouse will work) as would “Epstein -Filthy Rich”, but you would focus on just one person or two or three, but a large group. For example you could examine Epstein, or any one or two of his victim’s or accomplices). If you choose the excellent “Athlete A”, focus on Nasser, or up to three of his victims.
It must include psychologically related material on at least one person or group.
So, ‘A perfect 14″ is a great documentary, and is about plus sized models, and so would work. “The World before her” is only about Hindu girls and will be good tool. Blackfish is about marine mammals etc, so will not work, neither will “March of the Penguins”. But, “Love Me” (Mail order bride industry). Remember to focus on one bride or one male. “The True Cost” (International garment industry), “It’s a Girl” (the killing off of girls in India and China, because they are girls), “Happy” (the name says it all), these will all work because they involve disparate groups, governments, men, woman, Ukrainians, Americans, Indians etc. You will also find lots of documentaries about individuals, such as “Missing Mom”, “A Sister’s Call”, “Forgetting Dad”, “The Family I had “, “Goodnight Sugar Babe”, “Killer in the family”, “Natascha Kampusch”, “The Moors Murders”, and “Memories of a Penitent Heart” and probably hundreds of others.
So here is what to do for the documentary YOU choose.
Name it, and say in one sentence what its about. Do NOT focus on retelling story of the individuals, just give a profile of one key person, or up to three people.
Here is an example of how short the description of the story should be. This is a summary of Les Miserables.
” Jean ValJean is a released prisoner who is bitter at life, until an unexpected act of kindness, by a Catholic bishop, launches him on life of service and redemption, in which, despite being pursued by the police, he assists many others achieve a measure of success and happiness” Then, focus on only the psychology of your subject(s) (one or more people) sociology, not the politics, technology or legal aspects. Here’s an example. “Missing Mom”. The psychological impact on adult kids of a mom who deserted them 25 years ago, and the developments when (SPOILER) they find her. Profile them or Or profile HER. What is their, or her, psychological profile, how did loss and abandonment affect their social status, (ascribed or acquired), class, inequity, gender, caste, institutions (one is an RMCP officer). How are functional or dysfunctional are they. What are their in groups, out groups, connections with marginalized people, (mom was homeless and drug involved at times) role of governments, relevance of education, exploitation, etc.
Or you can choose a small group affected by a bigger issue: For example,
“The True Cost”, international garment industry and its impact around the world.
Discuss, why do western women featured (its mainly women, less so men) “need” new outfits each month? Where did this psychological needed come from? Is it healthy? What are the psychological impacts on individual poor Asian women who leave their children to work in sweatshops? Why do (and how do) Westerners ignore the death and injury inflicted on exploited women? What is going on in their minds? Is rampant materialism okay or sign of a psychological disturbance?
“Takeaways”. What are the two or three key points about the subject group(s) psychological status? What are their top mental problems? Solutions? Is it likely to happen and if so, who needs what treatment? Can psychology explain what is going on?
Example: The Main three facts are
A. Valjean is extremely disturbed as a result of trauma and injustice. Modern treatment options for him would be..(Don’t stop here, continue to tell us more about him. He is generous by possessive, prone to feelings of guilt but empathetic, sometimes aggressive, but only in the face of injustice.
B. Javert is obsessive, inflexible and paranoid. And add more, for example what impact his birth in prison might have had..
Same with Cosette, Fantine etc.
Tell us what he/she/they are like, psycholigically, and why. What therapy (if any would you suggest if they arrived at your clinic door)?He would benefit from . X exploits Y because X has raised barriers and sees Asian girls as “other”. X can be treated to readjust her view of exploited workers if…etc”, b. It CAN be changed if people only do this…..c. Its likely (Not likely) to happen because the Westerners’ status goal are achieved by the acquisition of cheap good by anonymous women..
Same with “Love me” (Internet brides). Who are the men? Rich, average poor? Why do they prefer to seek wives abroad? Are they adventurers or exploiters, lechers or lovers? Is their psychology different from their fellow citizens who prefer western brides? Who are the women? Naive or devious? Gold Diggers or depressed or hopeless women looking for a better life? Scammers or just average women looking for love? Psychologically immature, naive or devious? What is the impact on potential wives in the West (the women these men prefer to skip)? And the men in Ukraine that the women refuse to marry?
Are the men immature and looking for a trophy wife etc? Are these men and women being helped or exploited by each other or a system? Is this just another way to meet people, or does it suggest the women are avaricious, using the men to access resources, or are the men using the women to overcome untreated psychological issues which cause social backwardness.
Are their psychological indications that the men have elements of misogyny and hatred of self? What are the psychological ramifications of giving up on dating in the West and seeking to enter a more “arranged” system? Are the men seeking love of fraternity (with other men)? Are the men and women commenting on their own society, and are their criticisms valid, or are they victims of deviant thinking ? Are their expectations of each other based on fact or only perceptions of status, rich husbands? Is this “all good” or does it have negative aspects of misogyny, sexism, nationalism, etc.
“Takeaways”. What are the two or three key points? What are the top problem? Solutions? Is it likely to happen?
