Cultural Anthropology: The Role of Behavioral Science in Film

This essay explores the significant role of cultural anthropology and behavioral science in filmmaking. It examines how filmmakers utilize psychology, sociology, and anthropology to construct characters, reflect societal issues, and engage audiences. The essay highlights the importance of understanding human behavior, social norms, and cultural contexts in creating compelling narratives. It discusses how filmmakers use various psychological tools and sociological perspectives to portray character development, social challenges, and cultural influences. The analysis emphasizes the impact of these techniques on audience engagement, motivation, and understanding of the world. The essay concludes by underscoring the importance of responsible filmmaking and the potential of behavioral research to create films that resonate with viewers and offer insights into the human condition.

Running head: CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
Cultural Anthropology
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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The importance of the behavioral science is one of the most intriguing factors behind the
film making in various languages. The present and future situation of mankind can be accessed
through the various factors like the behavioral science aspects of psychology, sociology and
anthropology. Various academic researchers in arts have discussed on this aspect and they have
highlighted many issues that could be used to show the influence of the human beings in the
society and various attributes that they have presented through their works. Various mechanisms
of psychology and anthropology have been used in these sections that would be helpful for the
audience to understand. The characters of the movie are basically the reflections of the society
and its individuals. The personality of the characters in the movies is basically influenced from
some of the common people in the society. The filmmakers only try to denote the present and
future conditions of these people.
The influences of building up the characters have been found by filmmakers from the
common people only. The art of cinema is looked upon as the cultural institution. Through this
kind of institutions, filmmakers always try to show the developments of the characters and how
the personality of a human being will develop amidst various challenges from the society. The
critical analysis of the films is done on the basis of the innovative elements put through by the
various filmmakers. If the filmmakers are not able to depict the personality development of the
characters and its diversification within the society, it cannot be counted as a good example of
the artistic culture. Therefore, the filmmakers nowadays must be very cautious and depend on the
behavioral research science so they can portray the characters based on the current situations of
the characters and how they might look like in the future.
Various stimulus figures associated with the film making can be attributed to the makers
of the movies. They would look to provide opportunities to the movie audiences so they can

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associate themselves with those characters. It is true that many people can engage these
characters with their lives and feel motivated. The filmmakers try to cheer up the common
people that some of these characters might have faced the same kind of problems in their earlier
years and then they were able to make the progress in their personal and professional lives.
These types of motivations are very necessary for them in their lives.
The moviemakers have to be very responsible for the things they portray on the screen.
Any kind of unrealistic things might be full of fun for a certain period of time but the individuals
like to see some works that can connect them with the characters. This is why the study of the
behavioral research science must be done before the director sketches the characters and script
writers attach the perfect dialogues in accordance to the developments of the various characters
in the movies. The psychologists of the Gestalt order had pointed out the importance of the
mental structures that could be used to construct the characters properly. Otherwise, the different
shades could not be added into the characters. The bottom-up and top-down processes are
engaged by the moviemakers when the construct the plot and design the characters accordingly.
The use of photography is also crucial to show the ups and downs in the lives of the
characters. They tend to show how the characters have been generated and how their feelings
will be shown. The use of behavioral research science tools like psychology has been used by the
filmmakers many times. There are several tools in psychology that are used by the moviemakers
at different times. They use these tools to note the engagement of the characters with the social
spheres. At present, they might be at a normal stage like others but their aspirations can take
them to new heights in the future. This will definitely motivate the audience since they have
lacked the courage and decision making power to take such steep decisions. However, these

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audiences would learn about their worth and try to touch the sky despite the limitations in their
real lives.
The tool of self-perception theory is such a tool that helps the people to deconstruct their
values and ideologies of life. When a person can engage with the movie character on the screen,
they will identify their faults in their characters. This would lead them to achieve the best heights
in their lives. They will observe all the actions and finally be able to draw the different
conclusions from those facts indeed. The tool of extrinsic motivation is definitely crucial in this
aspect also. Common people are left within their social boundaries and sacrifice about their
passions. This is why filmmakers observe the natures of common people very closely and finally
tend to think how they can improvise new plans so they can become successful in their lives.
The use of sociology as a part of the behavioral research science is also very crucial in
certain aspects. The filmmakers nowadays tend to focus on the various issues in the social
aspects. This is why they look to reflect these local and national issues in their plots. This gives
the plot solidarity indeed. Thus, the audience can associate themselves with the situations that
they might be facing in their real lives. Sociology becomes a very affordable tool in this situation
and it gives the opportunity to the audience to find out the probable solutions to all the social
problems. The ethnographic and demographic challenges are also shown in the films by the
makers because they want to make people aware that this kind of problem might occur in other
societies also. Therefore, the critics believe that filmmakers do a very good job to create
awareness among people top show them the extents of social problems at the present and how
these problems can be solved in the future. These things are definitely something to learn about
in a broader concept.

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In order to create the reflection of the societies, the filmmakers have faced several
problems in the recent times. Sometimes they face some challenges of reflecting these issues in
front of the whole world. The reflexivity and reflectivity have been associated with this matter
when the filmmakers try to put some events or incidents on the screen and they look to provide
some ways for all the concerned people in the society. The use of the anthropology in the
behavioral research science has been considered as an empirical art through which the actual
situation of life can be shown. The filmmakers can try this option of using the anthropological art
to show the lives of the tribal communities and their present situations. Through their innovative
ideas, they can propose some techniques of further development in the situation and the
concerned authorities can definitely note them down.
On a concluding note, it can be said that the use of the behavioral research science would
surely be considered as one of the most stupendous podiums through which the lives of the
common people can be shown. The use of three branches like the sociology, psychology and
anthropology can be used by the filmmakers to consist their characters by social values, norms,
social conditions and other factors. Thus the plot of the movie will become stronger and provide
ample suggestions to the audience on how the present situation can be made better in the future
times. This will show their mastery over the art of movie making.