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Film

Photo of a man with a serious expression sitting at a table holding a fork in a kitchen setting.

Stories and literature

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What is it about film and TV antiheroes that’s so captivating?

They’re entertaining, of course – but research highlights a deeper psychological reason viewers are drawn to the bad guys

by Ana Gantman & Jordan Wylie

Illustration of a giant camera with a set inside, showing a person filming and another entering, with autumn leaves and street lamps outside.

Socioeconomics of mental health

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The therapeutic power in learning to make a film together

A collaboration among workers in India showed the power of making and discussing films for sharing life’s inner challenges

by Varun Kurtkoti

Black-and-white photo of a pensive woman in a herringbone coat and cloche hat, holding a handkerchief to her lips.

Personality

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Dietrich showed how adopting a persona can reveal one’s true self

Kaloprosopia – the art of crafting a persona, as Marlene Dietrich and David Bowie did – can help us access a truer self

by Sam Mills

Scene from a film with three men indoors, one holding a computer mouse. A badge reads “I quit smoking.”

Technology and media

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What the journey from Star Trek to Siri says about our culture

The talking computer in Star Trek takes the culture and technology of the present and dreams up future possibilities

by Liz W Faber

A photo of a woman in historical attire watching over a sleeping child by candlelight, with a mural of ships in the background.

Rituals and celebrations

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In the cinema, my father’s unspeakable childhood finally surfaced

Not too distant and not to close: how rituals help us process trauma, and why watching Anna Karenina helped heal my father

by Christiana Spens

A fictional character with pale skin and no nose looks up in a dim, atmospheric setting, photo from a film scene.

Personality

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Immersion in fictional worlds allows us to own our dark side

Our liking for fictional villains such as Voldemort tells us something about the dark side of our own personalities

by Rebecca Krause-Galoni

Photo of a person admiring art in a gallery framed by a large red sculpture, with a wooden floor and a dark wall background.

Altered states

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A touch of absurdity can help to wrap your mind around reality

And now for something completely different: how a dose of the surreal or absurd helps to make sense of our place in the world

by David Robson