Content Analysis of Kung Fu Panda Trilogy Animated Movie: Separation Anxiety and Object Relations Concepts

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Khayyam University, Mashhad, Iran

2 MA in Psychology, Department of Psychology, Khayyam University, Mashhad, Iran

3 PhD in Curiculum Studies, Imam Reza International University, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

Background: Animations are one of the most popular programs among children, which have a direct impact on them, and in addition to the aspect of entertainment and attractiveness, they can influence socialization, the formation of emotions and the way they manifest. In the theory of subject relations, the child's early experiences in relation to his caregivers affect emotional responses to separation signals and disturbing life conditions.
Aim: Considering the children's impressionability of animations, this research was conducted with the aim of examining the content of Kung Fu Panda trilogy animations from the perspective of the concepts of thematic relationships and separation anxiety.
Method: The current research was conducted with a qualitative design and using the content analysis method. The components of the desired concepts were extracted from the standardized version of Bell's Thematic Relations and Separation Anxiety Questionnaires of children in Iran. The components were validated by examining the opinion of experts in the field of children and the examination of three evaluators showed that the extracted items are valid. Then, the frequency of the scenes that contained these components in the desired animations was observed and recorded.
Results: The findings showed that the concepts of thematic relationships and separation anxiety are present in the three animations of Panda Kung Fu Kar. Among the three versions of the Kung Fu Panda animation, the concepts of separation anxiety were observed more in the second animation; also, compared to the third part, the first and second animation had more concepts of thematic relationships.
Conclusions: The greater frequency of concepts of thematic relationships of separation anxiety in the second animation shows that this episode can have an impact on the problems of thematic relationships and anxiety of children.

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