The portrayal of psychology in a variety of TV shows

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JockNerd

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Has anyone watched [Criminal Minds] this show? I watched half of the first episode when it came out, but couldn't bear it. I just tried to watch another one and managed to make it to the end, but yelled at the screen a few times. :mad:

The dialogue just seems so crazy! The main character went on a few weird psychodynamic-y short speeches about people, and the way they explained things just seemed outrageous (I don't think someone in a behavioural analysis unit needs to be reminded that nonverbal communication is important!!). I know they're writing for people unfamiliar with psychology, but it just seems SO hackneyed to me! Add to that that profilers are notoriously inaccurate, unlike the guys on the show who can tell you your mother yelled at you because of the kind of shoes you wear....

I'm pretty glad that the show isn't doing really really well, at least not compared to things like CSI. Absoutely fantastic numbers of incoming university students want to study forensics. Most of them are totally unaware that any background in natural sciences is important for that. I'd hate to see a bunch of first-year psych kids running around diagnosing everyone they see and making guesses about their upbringing....

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I had a similar experience with this show, I couldn't make it through one episode.
It does not at all surprise me that the show presents a fluffy, and inaacurrate portrayal of psychology/the human mind. Basically, every show/movie that attempts to incorporate psychology into its plot skews everything. I think the writers (like many people in general) have a very diluted and false perception of what psychology is. It gets annoying because I can't stand watching these movies/shows because they are soooo off.​
 
I've watched it a few times--after a few of my students went on & on about how great it was and that was the sole reason for them taking the class. Never heard of it prior to then but I don't watch a lot of TV. My partner laughed at me because I continuously criticized it. EVERYTHING does indeed seem to have a psychodynamic approach to it and their explanations for things seem to remain unchanged in each episode (that I watched at any rate!), which I find somewhat odd since they're allegedly scientific in their approach but eh, whatever.

It's TV yet again contributing to the public's ignorance of what constitutes psychology. Probably why we have so many psych majors--they all want to be the next Clarice Starling, Criminal Minds/CSI/[insert any other program depicting criminal behaviors & investigation] investigator and don't understand why you're not teaching them all that TV schtuff during class. Silly cumquats!
 
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I watch it because I love Mandy Patinkin and because I think it's a good/entertaining show. I definitely don't watch it for its psychological accuracy. haha. But i think there's something to be said for escapism...
 
I watch it because I love Mandy Patinkin and because I think it's a good/entertaining show. I definitely don't watch it for its psychological accuracy. haha. But i think there's something to be said for escapism...

:laugh: Y'know, Patinkin was the only reason I continued watching after the first one I saw. I missed him in Dead Like Me, noticed he was in Criminal Minds, so continued watching for a month or so . . . Although after a while, they all started to sound the same (entirely too much!) so I eventually stopped. Of course, I don't get into TV much, so could be just me.
 
:laugh: Y'know, Patinkin was the only reason I continued watching after the first one I saw. I missed him in Dead Like Me, noticed he was in Criminal Minds, so continued watching for a month or so . . . Although after a while, they all started to sound the same (entirely too much!) so I eventually stopped. Of course, I don't get into TV much, so could be just me.

He's my idol. :laugh: Chicago Hope was my version of ice cream and chocolate after a bad breakup in high school, and Patinkin played an adorably messed up doctor (he has since aged horribly, haha). I own all of his broadway CDs and stuff. It's my house-cleaning music.
 
As someone who teaches Forensic Psychology, I experience firsthand the "CSI effect." So much so that I include a disclaimer in my syllabus.

I haven't seen Criminal Minds but wonder if they use psychologists as consultants in preparation for the show? One of the reasons The West Wing was lauded for its authentic feel was they incorporated several former White House senior staff in their production process.

Then again, House is a wonderfully engrossing character play. They have two or three doctor/consultants yet the medical mystery aspect of the show is regularly derided as implausible. (Which is particulaly disappointing as it has been reported that the inspiration for the show was the Diagnostic column from the New York Times Magazine.)

But thanks for giving me another example for my "What psychology is not" intro! :)
 
As someone who teaches Forensic Psychology, I experience firsthand the "CSI effect." So much so that I include a disclaimer in my syllabus.

. . .

Excellent idea! I will have to keep this in mind for future classes. I do a verbal disclaimer during the first day of class, but never thought to include it in my syllabus . . . which might be particularly helpful for those individuals who are not present that first day, or for those who seem to "tune out" and forget that I mentioned we will not be solving crime & profiling behavior every day of the semester!
 
The show does actually use a guy from the BAU in Quantico as a consultant, he's one of Mandy Patinkin's friends.
 
call me crazy, but I like this show. My SO and I watch it each week. I agree that the "profiles" are far fetched and the characters are a tad one dimensional, and some of the plot are rediculous, but I'm hooked for some reason. I like to guess the outcome within the first ten minutes or so. It's a fun game to play and easy to win with this show. I'm not well versed in forensic psych and my only other exposure to this topic comes from reading "Mindhunter" by John Douglas so I can overlook the inaccuracies with ease. I'm looking forwrd to next season... if there is one.
 
Haha, I own the Season 1 DVD because I'm THAT cool.

I really like the show. It does one thing better than most shows... it gives people the correct idea that forensic psychology is NOT CSI microscope-type stuff. No it definitely isn't running around in a black SUV going "okay so if I were the boogieman what would I do now?" but that's a more accurate idea than a lot of people have. Whenever anyone hears that I'm going to work in a forensic psych lab they go "oh my god, so that's like CSI stuff?" Even psych majors have done this.
 
Haha, I own the Season 1 DVD because I'm THAT cool.

I really like the show. It does one thing better than most shows... it gives people the correct idea that forensic psychology is NOT CSI microscope-type stuff. No it definitely isn't running around in a black SUV going "okay so if I were the boogieman what would I do now?" but that's a more accurate idea than a lot of people have. Whenever anyone hears that I'm going to work in a forensic psych lab they go "oh my god, so that's like CSI stuff?" Even psych majors have done this.

I was in a volunteer org. with a young woman who was accepted to a PhD program in forensic entymology. Yes, EXACTLY what Grissom does. She got asked "oh, so you watch CSI, eh?" from *everyone* she told. She actually decided on it before CSI ever came out, though.

Incidently, isn't forensics even HARDER to get into than clinical psych?
 
He's my idol. :laugh: Chicago Hope was my version of ice cream and chocolate after a bad breakup in high school, and Patinkin played an adorably messed up doctor (he has since aged horribly, haha). I own all of his broadway CDs and stuff. It's my house-cleaning music.

As someone who teaches Forensic Psychology, I experience firsthand the "CSI effect." So much so that I include a disclaimer in my syllabus.

I love the Dead Like Me guy! I miss that show. :( With that being said, I still have a hard time watching it sometimes. Same with L&O with Pyle (from Full Metal Jacket).

As for psychodynamic....REPRESENTIN'! Though many of the portrayals are not accurate, and/or ignore some pretty big things. They are mostly hack jobs.

-t
 
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Let's all start a Mandy Patinkin fan club. :D

I swear, I'd probably rather meet him than Johnny Depp or someone important like uh... Zimbardo.

And now you all know my secret, I'm a trashy TV junkie.
 
As someone who teaches Forensic Psychology, I experience firsthand the "CSI effect." So much so that I include a disclaimer in my syllabus.

I haven't seen Criminal Minds but wonder if they use psychologists as consultants in preparation for the show? One of the reasons The West Wing was lauded for its authentic feel was they incorporated several former White House senior staff in their production process.

A friend of one of my professors is a forensic psychologist and was hired as a consultant for Law and Order SVU. Apparently, however, they promptly ignored anything he said anyway.
 
I want to be a member of the Mandy Patkin fan club, I just watched most of the 1st season on Dead Like Me. Now I have to find the rest of season 1 and then start working on season 2.

jeff
 
It's so sad that Chicago Hope is not on DVD (nor will it likely ever be). If you loved Dead Like Me You'd love Chicago Hope so much more. He was even weirder and more hilarious and used to randomly burst into song ('cause he started as a Broadway actor).

Sorry to hijack the thread. :laugh: I'll stop now. Go back to talking about how criminal minds is bad... or something. I'll just cry.
 
what is this 'dead like me' and why haven't I heard of it until now?
 
what is this 'dead like me' and why haven't I heard of it until now?

good, so i'm not the only one who has absolutely no idea what's going on in this thread. There's this new show that out called MURDER or something where they get real people who like to watch CSI type shows to become CSIs and solve real cases. Not sure how that's going to work out.
 
what is this 'dead like me' and why haven't I heard of it until now?

For everyone who has no idea what we're going on about: http://www.deadlikeme.tv/theshow.php . T'was a series on the Sci-Fi channel that lasted for only 2 seasons before they killed it. They still play old episodes periodically but it can be a bit confusing at times if you didn't catch the ones leading up to it.
 
I'm also a member of "What the hell is going on" club. Save for CSI and law and order, I haven't even heard of any of the shows mentioned in this thread. I've tried to watch CSI twice and got bored and wandered off in the middle of it both times.

I stick to Simpsons/Family Guy/Venture Brothers. oh, and House. Disease progression/treatment is actually pretty accurate in the show, though the specific tasks the "team" does is kind of inane.

I so definitely now feel like the little kid on the psych board, given that 3/4 shows I watch most often are cartoons.
 
I'm also a member of "What the hell is going on" club. Save for CSI and law and order, I haven't even heard of any of the shows mentioned in this thread. I've tried to watch CSI twice and got bored and wandered off in the middle of it both times.

I stick to Simpsons/Family Guy/Venture Brothers. oh, and House. Disease progression/treatment is actually pretty accurate in the show, though the specific tasks the "team" does is kind of inane.

I so definitely now feel like the little kid on the psych board, given that 3/4 shows I watch most often are cartoons.

Awww, don't feel too badly. I rarely know what's on TV except for the few programs that I do watch. Criminal Minds was one that I had not heard of either until last semester when a bunch of my students told me about it. Most people think I'm nuts when I tell them I have no idea what show they're talking about. Until this past year, I hadn't watched anything on TV for several years (stuck with DVDs).

Otherwise, most of what I watch/listen to is contingent upon my 6-y/o's TV viewing preferences, and he tends to stick with Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, History Channel, and a few cartoons (Jimmy Neutron, Fairly Odd Parents, Family Guy, Simpsons).
 
anyone watch Psych? it's nothing to do with psych, just someone who is good at seeing something others miss, but is pretending to be psychic. i watch it because it's on before Monk.

also, do people on here enjoy psychological thriller movies? One of my favs are like Identity, Saw, Matchstick Men, and Derailed. Hide and Seek not so much. Can't remember much about Gothika cept it was very very violent/gory. I might watch that again.
 
While we're on the subject of TV shows... is anyone into Dexter? (the showtime show, not the cartoon, although that one's entertaining too!) As a psych person I absolutely love the show, and as a lay person I still absolutely love the show!
 
Dexter.....Excellent. I mean REAAAAALLY good. I'd need to watch it again for accuracy, but his disconnect from emotion, social cues, etc....awesome.

Also, Dead Like Me was a Showtime show first (I'm pretty sure), then possibly re-runs were done on sci-fi.

Chicago Hope....never watched, though I'll add it to my DVD list. Currently I'm working through the last season of Scrubs, then I'm back to McGuyver, then The "A" Team. (Yeah....I dig 80's shows!)

I renamed this thread to be more fitting to the topics at hand. Feel free to discuss any of the tv shows mentioned, etc.

-t
 
. . .

Also, Dead Like Me was a Showtime show first (I'm pretty sure), then possibly re-runs were done on sci-fi.

. . .

Highly possible--They re-played both seasons on Sci-Fi the last year or so, which is why I know it. They do seem to play old programs after they've been buried by another channel, or a few days after the episode has played elsewhere. They've been doing it with Heroes this past season.
 
Okay everybody, T4C confirmed it, you all have to go catch up on the first season of Dexter so you can be nice and ready for the second season starting in September. I've already read the books and the next season's gonna be even better.

What's really ironic is that Mandy Patinkin JUST decided not to show up for the criminal minds script reading for next season, so he's off the show.
 
My buddy is trying to get on the staff for Dexter (he does creative work on other showtime shows) Time to go bug him about Dexter, and see if he can hook a brotha' up!

Btw...great blind buy if you find the DVDs on sale.

-t
 
i'll watch it when i get a new computer...this current one dies on me every time I try to make do a little work :(
 
That's sweet of you to say Paramour, but sort of ruined by the fact that my interests(Simpsons/Family Guy) are more in-line with your 6-year old than the other doctoral students:)
 
I have no idea what this Dexter is, so now I'm feeling a bit out o' the loop again. I have watched both Psych and Monk, however, so not completely oblivious.

And, Ollie, we actually started watching Simpsons and Family Guy first ourselves and eventually hooked our kid on them, so if you're being juvenile, so are we! We have to pre-watch many of the Family Guy episodes as some of them aren't quite appropriate for him yet. This irks him considerably but he'll get over it. Both of these were in the few series that we actually bought on DVD during my time without TV reception for many, many moons.

Unfortunately, I suspect that I will be entering no TV time yet again when the semester starts, so new programs and old alike are probably out for me. :( There are a few that I will sort of miss, but my semester book ban will cause even more angst! I have a fairly serious book addiction that gets me into entirely too much trouble.
 
I have no idea what this Dexter is, so now I'm feeling a bit out o' the loop again. I have watched both Psych and Monk, however, so not completely oblivious.

And, Ollie, we actually started watching Simpsons and Family Guy first ourselves and eventually hooked our kid on them, so if you're being juvenile, so are we! We have to pre-watch many of the Family Guy episodes as some of them aren't quite appropriate for him yet. This irks him considerably but he'll get over it. Both of these were in the few series that we actually bought on DVD during my time without TV reception for many, many moons.

Unfortunately, I suspect that I will be entering no TV time yet again when the semester starts, so new programs and old alike are probably out for me. :( There are a few that I will sort of miss, but my semester book ban will cause even more angst! I have a fairly serious book addiction that gets me into entirely too much trouble.


what type of books are you into? Has anyone ever read Flatland (originally by A. Square, although his real name's like Edwin Abott) about a square who goes to other dimensions after meeting a sphere....yes, i know i'm being really random today with mentioning non-psych things...
 
Sopranos, Frasier, Monk, couple of new lifetime a show, the list is endless that shows therapist as idiots.

The best portrayal I have ever seen of a therapist is Dr. Sidney Freeman MD in MASH, especially in the last couple of episodes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidney_Freedman
 
what do you think about the ones in Law and order?

The first one they had (I think it was Dr. Olivet) thought everybody was a victim of society.

The guy I liked was the guy who plays the newspaper editor in the Spiderman movies. He could tell if people were sane or pretending and he believed people were mostly responsible for their behavior.

The Asian guy who is with the FBI sees everybody as crazy. I think people like him in real life (FBI profilers) make a mountain out of a mole hill and lead cops in all these different directions, remember the Maryland highway shootings in 2002? The profilers said it was a crazy white guy, probably a radical Christian. And what we had was two black men, one a Muslim convert.
 
The Asian guy who is with the FBI sees everybody as crazy. I think people like him in real life (FBI profilers) make a mountain out of a mole hill and lead cops in all these different directions, remember the Maryland highway shootings in 2002? The profilers said it was a crazy white guy, probably a radical Christian. And what we had was two black men, one a Muslim convert.

Yeah, the vast majority of real FBI criminal profilers are not trained psychologists. They are ex-detectives or other law enforcement professionals.
 
Don't forget about Dr. Robert Hartley from the Bob Newhart Show. :D
 
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