Cognitive Media Theory [Paperback]

Across the academy, scholars are debating the question of what bearing scientific inquiry has upon the humanities. The latest addition to the AFI Film Readers series, Cognitive Media Theorytakes up this question in the context of film and media studies. This collection of essays by internationally recognized researchers in film and media studies, psychology, and philosophy offers film and media scholars and advanced students an introduction to contemporary cognitive media theoryan approach to the study of diverse media forms and content that draws upon both the methods and explanations of the sciences and the humanities. Exploring topics that range from color perception to the moral appraisal of characters to our interactive engagement with videogames, Cognitive Media Theoryshowcases the richness and diversity of cognitivist research. This volume will be of interest not only to students and scholars of film and media, but to anyone interested in the possibility of a productive relationship between the sciences and humanities.

1. Introduction: Contemporary Cognitive Media Theory Ted Nannicelli and Paul TaberhamPart I: The State of Cognitive Media Theory: Current Views and Issues2. The Pit of Naturalism: Neuroscience and the Naturalized Aesthetics of Film Murray Smith 3. Evolutionary Film Theory Malcolm Turvey 4. The Geography of Film Viewing: What Are the Implications of Cultural-Cognitive Differences for Cognitive Film Theory? Daniel BarrattPart II: Psychological Research and Media Theory5. Audiovisual Correspondences in Sergei Eisensteins Alexander Nevsky: A Case Study in Viewer AttentionTim J. Smith6. Engaged and Detached Film Viewing: Exploring Film Viewers Emotional Action Readiness Ed S. Tan7. Coloring the Animated World: Exploring Human Color Perception and Preference through the Animated Film