Psychology in Film

Back to the directoryFind in the timeline

Theatrical poster for M
Image rights: Copyrighted promotional artwork. Image source

M

In this 1931 German thriller directed by Fritz Lang, a city searches for a serial killer of children, and the resulting public hysteria and social tension become as central as the pursuit itself.

1931. Feature film · 110 min (Janus Films). Chronology period: 1920–1949.

Feature filmRelease or archive checkedSocial influencePerception

Directed or created by
Fritz Lang
Country and language
Germany
Content notes
Child murder, serial killing, and public hysteria as described in the inspected synopsis

Why this work matters for psychology

How do groups respond to fear and to a person marked as monstrous? The film invites questions about collective reaction and public pressure rather than conclusions about criminal minds.

Psychological connections

Screen stories illustrate how psychological processes look and feel in narrative form; they are not empirical proof or clinical case studies.

  • Public hysteria

    The synopsis frames a panorama of private madness and public hysteria; students can discuss how collective alarm might be portrayed and how such portrayals differ from controlled study of group behavior.

    Topic: Social influence, conformity and intergroup biasBasis: Grounded in the inspected Janus synopsis; fictional portrayal is not evidence of group dynamics.

  • The figure of the killer

    The synopsis names a child serial killer and describes suspense; an open question is how a film may shape a viewer's perception of a threatening figure, framed as interpretation rather than a claim about real offenders.

    Topic: Perception, attention and reality testingBasis: Grounded in the inspected synopsis; interpretive framing only.

Portrayal and accuracy limitations

  • The inspected source is a distributor synopsis; the film's depiction of a serial killer should not be read as a clinical or forensic account, and no diagnostic claim is made here.

Questions to watch for

  1. 1. What might the synopsis suggest about how a city responds to fear?
  2. 2. How can a film's suspense shape what a viewer assumes about a threatening figure?

In the Psy101 course

Use the linked textbook concepts as questions for interpreting the premise, rather than as evidence validating its portrayal.

Textbook links show where these concepts sit in an introductory course; they do not study this screen work. See the full topics and course map.

Companion readings and work source

Readings labeled as conceptual companions or contextual references study the psychological topic rather than this screen work.

  1. [1]
    Films, J. (n.d.-c). Janus films ;  m. https://www.janusfilms.com/films/1890Checked 2026-10-23.Release or archive checkedSelected official synopsis and catalog details inspected; full work not viewed.
  2. [2]
    Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/12-4-conformity-compliance-and-obedience(OpenStax course textbook · Selected passages checked · Checked 2026-10-23).Conceptual Companion (Does Not Study This Work)Conceptual companion: does not study this work. It investigates the underlying psychological construct or textbook topic.Conceptual background on conformity and obedience; does not study the film.Note: Selected textbook material inspected at the stated access scope. Conceptual companion; it does not study or validate this screen work.
  3. [3]
    Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/12-1-what-is-social-psychology(OpenStax course textbook · Full-text passages checked · Checked 2026-10-23).Conceptual Companion (Does Not Study This Work)Conceptual companion: does not study this work. It investigates the underlying psychological construct or textbook topic.Conceptual background on situational and dispositional explanation; does not study the film.Note: Selected textbook material inspected at the stated access scope. Conceptual companion; it does not study or validate this screen work.