Book Part

Arnheim on the perception of moving images

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Schönhammer, Rainer

Abstract / Description

The most eminent feature of Arnheim's theory of film is the author's sceptical view of sound film ("the introduction of the sound film smashed many of the forms that the film artists were using in favour of the intrinsic demand for the greatest possible ?naturalness''; 1957, p. 154). Instead of discussing dimensions of this ?anachronism', the present paper focuses on an elementof Arnheim's theory that is still relevant: the perception of moving images. Arnheim stressed that the movement of objects (not least: the moving human body) — besides being expressive — is essential for the viewer's impression of three-dimensional space. As for the movement of the camera, Arnheim explained why it tends to produce disorientation and dizziness (which may sometimes be an intended effect). These insights contradict the still widespread mystification of camera movements as the core of the movie experience (cf. Gibson, 1982; Bordwell, 2001).

Keyword(s)

Wahrnehmung Visuelle Wahrnehmung Wahrnehmungspsychologie

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2004

Is part of

Paper presented at the 23rd annual conference of the European Society for the History of the Human Sciences, Salzburg, Austria, 20th-24th July, 2004

Citation

  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Schönhammer, Rainer
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2022-11-21T13:54:59Z
  • Made available on
    2005-09-08
  • Made available on
    2016-07-14T06:09:53Z
  • Made available on
    2022-11-21T13:54:59Z
  • Date of first publication
    2004
  • Abstract / Description
    The most eminent feature of Arnheim's theory of film is the author's sceptical view of sound film ("the introduction of the sound film smashed many of the forms that the film artists were using in favour of the intrinsic demand for the greatest possible ?naturalness''; 1957, p. 154). Instead of discussing dimensions of this ?anachronism', the present paper focuses on an elementof Arnheim's theory that is still relevant: the perception of moving images. Arnheim stressed that the movement of objects (not least: the moving human body) — besides being expressive — is essential for the viewer's impression of three-dimensional space. As for the movement of the camera, Arnheim explained why it tends to produce disorientation and dizziness (which may sometimes be an intended effect). These insights contradict the still widespread mystification of camera movements as the core of the movie experience (cf. Gibson, 1982; Bordwell, 2001).
    en
  • Publication status
    unknown
  • Review status
    unknown
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bsz:291-psydok-5496
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11780/3588
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.10068
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Is part of
    Paper presented at the 23rd annual conference of the European Society for the History of the Human Sciences, Salzburg, Austria, 20th-24th July, 2004
  • Keyword(s)
    Wahrnehmung
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Visuelle Wahrnehmung
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Wahrnehmungspsychologie
    de
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    700
  • Title
    Arnheim on the perception of moving images
    en
  • DRO type
    bookPart
  • Visible tag(s)
    PsyDok