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Please note this is a special event and due to limited capacity it is being ticketed through our Box Office: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/cambridgeskeptics/1390370What’s better than watching a scary movie around Halloween? Well, hearing a lecture on the real-life psychological disorders behind movie monsters in a nice pub, of course. Clinical psychology actually has a lot to teach us about horror – and horror movies can reveal much more than we realize about psychological distress as well as some of the fundamental fears that go along with being human. Some of this material will be surprising. Though film fans may be well acquainted with vampires, werewolves, zombies, and the human replacements from Invasion of the Body Snatchers, even many medical professions may not know about the corresponding conditions of Renfield's syndrome, clinical lycanthropy, Cotard's syndrome, and the many misidentification delusions. The “real” folklore behind some of these scary creatures may be surprising as well.
This talk will discuss what clinical psychology and psychiatry have to say about a sampling of movie monsters from the Golden Age of cinema, more modern monsters, and even some “monstrous” behaviors (e.g., cannibalism). Attendees will not only learn state-of-the-art psychological science but also gain a better understanding of history, folklore, and how Hollywood often—but not always—gets it wrong when tackling these complex topics.
Dr. Brian A. Sharpless is a licensed psychologist and author. He received his PhD in clinical psychology and MA in philosophy from Pennsylvania State University and completed post-doctoral fellowships at the University of Pennsylvania. He has authored more than fifty professional publications including three books for Oxford University Press. His latest book, Monsters of the Couch: The Real Psychological Disorders Behind Your Favorite Horror Movies (Chicago Review Press) is currently available. His research interests include common and unusual psychological disorders, psychotherapy, professional issues, and the history of mental illness. He lives in the Washington, DC, area.
Please remember to book your place for this ticketed event in advance through our Box Office: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/cambridgeskeptics/1390370
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Alexander Arms, 17 Gwydir Street, Cambridge, CB1 2LG, United Kingdom,Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
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