The Psychology of Superheroes: An Unauthorized Exploration (Psychology of Popular Culture)
Contents:
I was a bit let down by the lack of psychoanalytic essays, as most of them focus on social, behavioral and positive approaches of psychology. And I was also very surprised how most of the articles quoted Wikipedia as their information source I mean, it's okay if you do it for the Superhero side of yo It's hard to rate and review a compilation of essays as some are good and some are not so much. I mean, it's okay if you do it for the Superhero side of your research as there might me be little published material about it , but they quoted wikipedia for Jung and Maslow and some other authors and theories.
That doesn't make their essays sound that much reliable, or very researched. It's a light, simple read.
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If you're a psychology student or professor this book won't tell you anything new or be too enlightening. Mar 11, Aaron rated it really liked it. The editor, Robin Rosenberg, was one of the "talking heads" in the special, and I found the idea pretty intriguing. One really interesting essay proposes the question of whether Superman would have been different if he had been raised in New York City rather than Smallville, Kansas.
Group dynamics, insanity, and a number of other psychological issues are explored in regard to various heroes. Overall, this was a pretty interesting read, but it is definitely deeply explores psychological theory. As a whole, the essays are of an academic-level quality, though a reader's interest will probably vary based on the subject matter and the particular heroes being explored.
While I was reading this at jury duty, three people asked me to look at it so there is definitely some interest out there for it. I was glad that I gave it a try because I enjoyed it. Dec 16, Wayland Smith rated it liked it. This is a collection of essays about different aspects of superheroes. The characters covered are almost all Marvel and DC, although there's a good piece centered on some of the Incredibles.
Like any collection, it's a bit uneven. Some are really interesting and well done, like a study of forensic psychology that also talks a lot about Arkham, an in-depth analysis of the Punisher, and a good one about rage and the Hulk. Some of them were a bit boring and strayed off the point. And a few committe This is a collection of essays about different aspects of superheroes. Aside from me being a nit picky comic geek, which I absolutely am, it's an interesting read. Sep 18, Jennifer rated it it was ok.
A selection of essays about superhero psychology that's got a few good insightful essays. Others, however, suffer from the "Oh, you can be in my book if you just tweak your research a little" phenomenon that plagues academic anthologies I speak as a person who's been published in such an anthology, so I'm guilty of it as well. So one finds essays that are mostly about studies of stress coping mechanisms or gender stereotyping where you have the impression the author watched "Spiderman" once an A selection of essays about superhero psychology that's got a few good insightful essays.
So one finds essays that are mostly about studies of stress coping mechanisms or gender stereotyping where you have the impression the author watched "Spiderman" once and tacked on a few references to make the essay fit. Add to that essays that made me want to throw the book across the room like the one explaining Batman is a sadist who exists only to break arms and torture people and doesn't care about the victims he helps at all and the good is outweighed by the mediocre and the "WTF?
Jul 20, Alexandra rated it really liked it. This book was very interesting in most aspects.
This latest installment in the Psychology of Popular Culture series turns its focus to superheroes. Superheroes have survived and fascinated for more than Unmasking superhuman abilities and double lives, this analysis showcases nearly two dozen psychologists as their essays explore the minds of pop culture's .
Every chapter brought something new to my attention about specific heroes. However, I felt at times the authors of certain sectrions were digging to deep and over analyzing their actions and decisions of the superheroes. Similar to the English teachers we all had back in high school that overanalyze every line of Fitzgerald and Beowulf.
Overall, it was a good book, minus a few chapters that were iffy. Jun 10, Ben rated it really liked it. Sometimes, when the evening breeze sends shivers down my spine as I wander empty streets glistening from the rain, I begin to wonder if danger lurks around the next corner. It almost always does, though my path never intersects. In these moments, however, I like to imagine that I'm more courageous, more righteous, more just than the selfish, meek and mild-mannered person I've grown to be. The truth is that I'm not.
Oh, I have my moments, times when I can't help but intercede, but my victories are Sometimes, when the evening breeze sends shivers down my spine as I wander empty streets glistening from the rain, I begin to wonder if danger lurks around the next corner. Oh, I have my moments, times when I can't help but intercede, but my victories are small, my heroics without ceremony. An Unauthorized Exploration is a collection of essays that explore the sociological, psychological and philosophical implications of heroes, antiheroes, villains, and their real-world counterpoints of everyday people.
All of them have their merits, but most seem to delve loosely into the psychology, making general points instead of diving to the depths of psychology's impacts and implications with regards to our superhuman symbols of escapism. The friend who passed this book on to me said the book was too deep for the average comic fan, and he's likely correct. For me, as a student of sociology, media studies, and social psych, the depth wasn't nearly great enough. As with most non-fiction, it seemed the most fascinating points were the one barely touched on.
If you're seeking a survey of psychology under the guise of pop culture, this book is a fine example a well-balanced foray, but if you're truly looking to twist your mind around difficult concepts and examine the way in which a pop medium captures the mores and tropes we exhibit in both normal and extreme situations, it doesn't quite fit the bill. Apr 13, Mira rated it it was amazing.
Okay, this is NOT a psychology book, strictly speaking. Nor is it a superhero book, strictly speaking. But for those of us who love both of those topics, it's a great, easy and fun read. Some articles are better written than others, some offer more insights than others, but over-all it's a fun book that allows superhero junkies think about things from different perspectives.
I especially love the chapter about Anti-Heroes as these are my favorite protagonists, a la Preacher and The Punisher. I Okay, this is NOT a psychology book, strictly speaking. It's a book I have lent to therapists and comic-book junkies alike. May 05, Jim Jewell rated it liked it. It seems like they take their subject far less seriously than I do, and don't really delve in deep. This is for those who would call it "quirky," but not for anyone willing to engage in serious scholarship about comics.
You'd get deeper discussion hanging out with the nerds in the local comic shop. Mar 09, Anthony rated it liked it. Good stuff, but nowhere near the heights of Travis Langley's masterclass of a book, Batman, and Psychology. Taking into account that this is an anthology, I would still say it was a little bit disjointed. If you have an interest in superheroes or psychology, there are some amazing essays Feb 05, Daniel Mello rated it it was amazing.
I LOVE the psychological analyzation of superheroes overall, and this particular collection of academicians do a thorough job in deconstructing the thought processes behind my favorite heroes' actions! Such perspectives make these characters that much more tangible.
May 27, Mohammed Alsobaie rated it really liked it. Not quite what I expected, but entertaining nonetheless. Not for everyone, though. Jun 02, Dr. Andrew rated it it was amazing. Overall a great book, especially the chapter analyzing The Punisher. Oct 10, Ben rated it really liked it. Some good, some less good analyses of superhero behavior or psychological concepts illustrated with superheroes.
Jan 29, Morgan Mussell rated it liked it Shelves: Read my full review on my blog: Aug 22, Phoenix rated it really liked it Shelves: Our Heroes, Our Selves A collection of essays, some tongue in cheek, others serious, that tackle the mythos of modern fictional heroes as extended reflections of ourselves.
The premise itself is a bit sketchy as the characters themselves are the constructs by specific individuals, not society as a whole so what is read into them should not be over generalized though one could argue that the popularity of a superhero is a reflection of what we admire. Nevertheless the questions raised are quite int Our Heroes, Our Selves A collection of essays, some tongue in cheek, others serious, that tackle the mythos of modern fictional heroes as extended reflections of ourselves.
Nevertheless the questions raised are quite intriguing: Why do superheroes prefer crime fighting to relation ships with the opposite sex? How are superheroes defined by their moral code that hilites the differences between them and super villains. This includes quasi anti-heroes such as the Punisher, Hulk, Marv Sin City and Wolverine unlike most X-men, Wolverine kills who do bad things for good reasons. Why does Batman focus on punishing criminals vs helping victims and why doesn't Bruce Wayne do something about either about the apparently criminal administration of Arkham Asylum, the high rate of recidivism apparently Arkham creates more criminals than it cures or its flawed security which allows to many escapes.
Incredible and Peter Parker - not very well. What do the X-men tell us about loyalty, and group conflict, though the book doesn't answer one of my questions - why are Magneto and Professor Xavier so civil and protective of each other? How does Wonder Woman position as an outsider in spite of her star spangled costume, she's a Greek from Themyscira affect her views on American women and why, designed as a feminist icon, is she still trapped by stereotype? Particularly interesting was the final essay by Johnson, Lurye and Freeman which examined the transformation in body shape from secret identity to superhero results in a supernormal accentuation on sexuality, in particular chest to waist ratio and waist to hip ratio.
Super men become more masculine, super women become more feminine in measurable ways. I also enjoyed Robert Biswas-Deniers observation that aside from wryly humorous wisecracks, Peter Parker's other super power is "hope". Kudos also to Christopher Patrick, not only for his take on the Hulk, but for including his daughter as co-author. Additionally the book has delightful gossipy appeal, because it also us to catch up on recent story developments in our beloved heroes that some of us older readers might have missed, having given up on the avid passion of our youth.
The psychology of superheroes : an unauthorized exploration
Jul 28, Genevieve Georgianna rated it really liked it. While not all of them were as exciting or not all of them were as much about superheroes as others were it was still good. This is a book for people who want to explore the reasoning behind superhero's choices and how superheroes impact us. It also makes the argument in some that in our own way we are superheroes. There is definitely something for While not all of them were as exciting or not all of them were as much about superheroes as others were it was still good.
There is definitely something for someone in there with the wide variety of topics. Authors most of them at least have absolutely no idea about comic books and superheroes. It seems like this book was originaly called "The psychology" but than someone added "of Superheroes" as a joke and the editor had to add few sentences with "Batman" or "Spiderman" in them to justify the title.
Mar 11, Naima rated it liked it Shelves: Thank you to the both of them! I approached this book assuming that I'd get information on a metatextual level about superheroes and their motives, but what I really got was an infodump on psychology in general. The majority of the essays are so basic that they're on middle school level comprehension, and very barely even touch on their original topic, the superheroes.
Other essays have misogynistic and ableist themes underneath them, particularly the ones written by Chuck Tate. Her relationships with other women platonic and familial are shown in a negative light, and essentially framed to be a 'step backwards' in equality, instead of a positive thing. Tate even points out how traditionally feminine things are seen as inferior, yet goes on to write under that assumption instead of acknowledging that Wonder Woman can be both feminine and incredibly strong. That being said, there were some decent essays in this.
My favorite was 'Prejudice Lessons from the Xavier Institute', which is honestly the reason I gave this book three stars. On top of that, there's good commentary on how Xavier rarely even advocates for mutant rights- instead martyring his X-Men to show the world that they're worthy of love by protecting them while they don't receive any respect or rights.
Home About Help Search. May 05, Jim Jewell rated it liked it. Learned Optimism Martin E. Similar Items Related Subjects: Unmasking superhuman abilities and double lives, this analysis showcases nearly two dozen psychologists as their essays explore the minds of pop culture's most intriguing and daring superheroes, including Spider-Man, Batman, Superman, and the X-Men. Some are really interesting and well done, like a study of forensic psychology that also talks a lot about Arkham, an in-depth analysis of the Punisher, and a good one about rage and the Hulk.
All in all, if you're looking to read this book, those are the essays I recommend. Jul 22, Daniel rated it liked it Shelves: This selection of essays focus on superheroes within the pages of popular culture, and attempts to apply Psychological theory to them. Generally, the essays succeed in doing this, but in a few places, the writings have moved more into Sociology, Philosophy, and Literary history. Not that this is a bad thing in itself, but something to be aware of. This said, all the essays do use normal Psychological research structure in the writing, and show the various glossary of research for those intereste This selection of essays focus on superheroes within the pages of popular culture, and attempts to apply Psychological theory to them.
This said, all the essays do use normal Psychological research structure in the writing, and show the various glossary of research for those interested in at the end of each piece. As this is a collection of papers, I won't review each individual paper, but there are two that warrant particular positive comment for various reasons: The positive psychology of superheroes: Here the interest for me lay with just reading on the ways a superhero would actual get some form of pleasure from what they do, especially when it comes to secret identities and lack of monetary reward.
Are they able to find joy and happiness in their lives due to their 'superhero' character? The stereotypical wonder woman: This paper stood out for me in several places, the first in that wonder woman was created by a Psychologist, with the goal of showing a strong female lead, and show to the audience the areas of stereotyping in society. Star Wars Psychology Travis Langley. The Psychology of the Simpsons Chris Logan. Batman and Philosophy William Irwin. Side Pieces Scott Koblish.
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