ACN Labs
Two characters from the film Aladdin sitting together talking on a rocky desert ledge

Getting lost in a movie

How does spending two hours immersed in story affect our cognitive, emotional and physiological state?

July 19, 2019

The Challenge

We know that the distractions of everyday life, exacerbated by modern technology, can impact mental well being and lead to feelings of social isolation. The arts have long been seen as a means of switching off, escaping the real world and rebalancing the stress of the daily hustle. Vue Cinemas wanted to learn more about what actually happens to the mind and body when we enter the cinema, leave our phones behind, and engross ourselves in an imaginary world.

The Solution

Two groups of volunteers were used to test the cognitive, emotional, and physiological effects of "getting lost" in a movie. 51 participants watched the live-action film Aladdin at the Vue Cinema in Stratford while another 26 participants read the critically acclaimed novel *A Gentleman in Moscow* by Amor Towles. Both groups completed pre- and post-performance questionnaires and wore biometric sensors to measure their physiological responses.

Key Findings

We found that physiological measures such as heart rate, electrodermal activity (also known as the galvanic skin response), and even body temperature tracked emotional engagement in the film. In fact, the peak response in heart rate happens when Aladdin and Jasmine share their first kiss.

Our main findings were:

  • Watching the movie lifted participants' mood. Although they came to the cinema happy, they left even happier after watching Aladdin.
  • While watching the movie, participants' heart rates were elevated. The average heart rate of the movie-goers was 75 beats per minute (bpm) where it was 70 bpm for the people reading the novel.
  • Compared to reading a book, movie-goers spent twice the amount of time (40 mins) in the British Heart Foundation's healthy heart rate zone.
  • Participants' hearts were more likely to be beating in time with each other as they watched the movie, which is associated with stronger social bonding. Indeed, participants rate their social connectedness to other members of the audience (i.e. strangers) as higher after watching the movie together.
  • The benefits of getting lost in the movie were equally strong for people who come to the movie by themselves as for those who arrive in social groups.

So we can relax, notes The Times, as going to the cinema also counts as a light workout.

Physiological measures of heart rate (HR), electrodermal activity (EDA), and body temperature responding to the narrative elements of Aladdin.

Physiological measures of heart rate (HR), electrodermal activity (EDA), and body temperature responding to the narrative elements of Aladdin.

On the left, average participant heart rates while watching Aladdin in the cinema (red) vs reading A Gentleman in Moscow. In both cases, participants were seated and not physically active so the elevated heart rates reflect engagement with the story. On the right, the bar plots show the amount of time participant heart rates were in what the British Heart Foundation calls the “healthy cardio zone.” It is approximately double when watching the movie.

On the left, average participant heart rates while watching Aladdin in the cinema (red) vs reading A Gentleman in Moscow. In both cases, participants were seated and not physically active so the elevated heart rates reflect engagement with the story. On the right, the bar plots show the amount of time participant heart rates were in what the British Heart Foundation calls the “healthy cardio zone.” It is approximately double when watching the movie.

The Times front page featuring the article “Relax! Sitting in the cinema counts as a light workout”

For additional information on consumer neuroscience, download our free Guide to Quality Neuromarketing.

Researchers involved: Prof. Daniel Richardson, Prof. Joseph Devlin

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