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CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS AND THE CINEMA wrote more than a few words in answer to the questions. Also, we could not be sure whether the questionnaire was answered by the child himself or by an adult or older friend. But perhaps the most important objection to giving children questionnaires — and also to having them interviewed by strangers — is that they may write, or say, what they think is expected of them.
(b) We followed up our questionnaire by interviews with the children to whom we had given prizes for what we considered the best answers. However, direct interviews by strangers, we found, were also unsatisfactory as the children were shy and embarrassed. We hope, however, to get together a group of children whom we know and whom we will be able to interview in a less formal manner.
(c) Direct observation, as the third method, is useful as a study of behaviour which, in conjunction with informal interviews and, if possible, more essays written by children at school, should provide us with enough material in the first stages of this part of our investigation.
We think that these three different methods of observation will provide more satisfactory results than those of Mr. Ford,1 who relies for his information solely on the impressions of cinema managers. While the latter can provide some useful information as to facts, we feel that as they are not trained social scientists their interpretations are not likely to be very accurate.
III. SOME OUTSTANDING PROBLEMS OF AUDIENCE REACTIONS
Before going more specifically into the question of the effect of films on children, it is necessary to study more fully the psychological mechanisms by means of which these effects are produced. This will involve such questions as, for instance, the relationship between the mental act of perceiving and the 'physical' act of perceiving— between Vorstellung and Wahrnehmung. The two processes are interlinked and any dissociation is artificial: 'All perception is the product of sensation . . . but sensation is also an aspect of perception.' (Gardner Murphy, General Psychology.)
In the cinema the film is presented to every member of the
audience. But the sensation-perception mechanism is unique for
each individual. What is perceived is unique in each case, but what
is 'seen' is also unique. We can never see a number of objects com
1 Cf. Ford, Children in the Cinema, London, 1939.
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