Double Exposure: How Social Psychology Fell in Love with the Movies

Double Exposure explores the role of film in shaping social psychology's landmark postwar experiments, including Milgram's Obedience Experiments, the Stanford Prison Experiment, and many more, recovers a new set of narratives.

Format: Hardback
Length: 170 pages
Publication date: 18 March 2022
Publisher: Rutgers University Press

Double Exposure delves into the profound impact of film on the landmark postwar experiments in social psychology. It sheds light on the surprising revelations that most of us are capable of administering electric shocks to fellow citizens when instructed to do so. We are also shown how we can transform into ruthless prison guards simply by donning a uniform, and how we can walk past a stranger in need without offering any assistance. However, the story goes beyond these surface-level observations. The documentaries that were presented as evidence in these experiments played a crucial role in capturing the public's imagination. Did they serve as a justification for the actions of twentieth-century humanity? By examining the dramaturgy, staging, and filming of these experiments, including Milgram's Obedience Experiments, the Stanford Prison Experiment, and many others, Double Exposure offers a fresh perspective. It recovers a set of narratives that challenge our preconceived notions and shed light on the complex interplay between power, authority, and human behavior. Through its meticulous exploration, Double Exposure provides a thought-provoking examination of the role of film in shaping our understanding of the human psyche and the ethical implications of our actions.

Dimension: 229 x 152 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781978809468