Psychopathy in the Movies, psychology homework help

 Psychopathy in the Movies

Hollywood takes creative license in portraying psychopathy, often with confusing results. In the movie

Seven, the killer, played by Kevin Spacey, is portrayed as a psychopath who is also motivated for religious reasons. John Goodman’s character, in 10 Cloverfield Lane, is portrayed as person who is evil, mentally ill, and psychopathic, leaving the viewer to sort out his personality and mental state. Indeed, Hannibal Lecter (portrayed by Anthony Hopkins), in Silence of the Lambs, is portrayed as a cunning, sadistic psychopath, yet he enjoys “fava beans.” The core of psychopathy is control over others. The core of mental illness lies in depression, suicidal ideations, incoherent thought processes, and hallucinations, to name but a few. As professional practitioners you must be able to differentiate one from the other and not let Hollywood cloud your thinking!

 In this Assignment you will analyze a character in a movie to determine if he/she is mentally ill or has a mental disorder.

To prepare

Choose one film that portrays a potential psychopath (Some examples include The Silence of the

Lambs, Psycho, Gone Girl, Seven, Insomnia, 10 Cloverfield Lane).

You can choose a movie not listed, with Instructor approval.

Watch the movie and identify the characteristics of the offender/protagonist.

To complete

In a 3 to 4 page paper:

Identify the movie and character you selected, and describe the characteristics that could be

considered criminal.

Provide an overall summary of the character, describing his/her background (e.g., education,

occupation, relationship history, psychological history).

Determine if the character you identified is mentally ill (e.g., psychotic) or has a mental disorder such

as psychopathy.

Provide evidence using both the Learning Resources and any additional references.

 

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