Tag Archives: film

New Publication: “Gendered Portrayals of Magic and Emotion in Popular Culture”

New in Psi Chi’s Psychology Pop Culture Corner!

Why do magical powers in stories so often seem tied to emotion—and why are those portrayals different for male and female characters? In this new article, I explore how films, television, and literature—including Harry Potter, Frozen, Wicked, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Stranger Things—connect emotion with supernatural power, and how these narratives often reinforce gender stereotypes about emotional expression and self-control. By examining these familiar stories through a psychological lens, the article highlights how popular culture can shape our beliefs about gender, power, and emotion, particularly for younger audiences.

Read the full article to see how fantasy may be reflecting much more than just magic: https://www.psichi.org/blogpost/987366/518559/Gendered-Portrayals-of-Magic-and-Emotion-in-Popular-Culture

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My Appearance on the Being a Fan of Disney: The Podcast!

Class #205 – A Psychologist Goes to the Movies with Dr. Alexander Swan

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Alexander Swan about a book he performed for Audible titled, A Psychologist Goes to the Movies and his CinemaPsych Podcast. We discuss how movies help teach about pyschology in and out of the classroom. Video of this visit is available at . I hope you enjoy and thank you for listening!

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MovieWeb Interview: Psychology of Horror Watching & Sinners!

If you’re interested in psychology and film (my CinemaPsych Podcast), check out this video interview from MovieWeb! While spooky season 2025 has ended, Sinners is still available to stream!

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Featured in Two UNILAD Film + Psych Articles

April and May 2020 have been busy months! Despite the seemingly endless back half of the semester, the livestreaming, and video-editing, two very cool things have happened.

I was interviewed for two pieces for the media organization UNILAD. I offered my thoughts on the 20th anniversaries for two enduring films: American Psycho (2000) and Final Destination (2000).

Here’s the link for American Psycho: https://www.unilad.co.uk/featured/american-psycho-is-about-more-than-patrick-batemans-insanity/

And here is the link for Final Destination: https://www.unilad.co.uk/featured/final-destination-creator-jeffrey-reddick-says-films-are-still-horrifying-20-years-on-because-we-all-fear-death/

I look forward to any future collabs on film–one of my very favorite passions in life!

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