A BEAUTIFUL MIND: BIOPIC ANALYSIS
GS F232 INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY
AADITI RAMMOHAN (2022A3PS0263U), CYRIL JOSEPH SEBASTIAN (2022A7PS0083U),
ABIKRISHNAA PARIMELALAGAN (2022A4PS0125U), ANISH TIBREWAL (2022A7PS0110U)
10.05.2024
FINAL ASSIGNMENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
TRAIT THEORY OF PERSONALITY
PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORY BY DR. SIGMUND FREUD
BACKGROUND
TRIPARTITE MODEL
Possible Reasons behind Nash’s schizophrenia
Positive Influence of His Hallucinations
Negative Influence of His Hallucinations
Evidence of Psychodynamics through Defense Mechanisms
Limitations of using Psychodynamic Theory
COGNITIVE-BEHAVIOURAL THEORY BY DR. AARON T BECK
Scene 1: An Instance of Thought-Emotion-Behaviour Relationship
Scene 2: An Instance of Cognitive Dissonance
Scene 3: An Instance of Cognitive Distortion
Limitations of Cognitive Behavioural Theory
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY THEORY
Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner)
Social Comparison Theory (Festinger)
Social Learning Theory (Bandura)
Social Penetration Theory (Altman & Taylor)
Social Exchange Theory (Thibaut & Kelley):
Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura)
John Nash’s Recovery
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
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INTRODUCTION
The biographical picture ‘A Beautiful Mind’ by Ron Howard is inspired by the series of
events in the life of John Forbes Nash Jr or “John Nash” and is loosely based on Sylvia
Nasar’s 1998 biography of John Nash. The film follows John Nash, an American Nobel
Prize-winning mathematician who made a groundbreaking discovery at an early age
only to realize the same mind would betray him with an incurable disease of
schizophrenia. The first half follows Nash throughout Princeton where his roommate,
Charles, befriends him despite his arrogant and dismissive behavior. Nash follows
Charles to the bar where a discussion with his classmates on approaching women, leads
to Nash’s breakthrough forming Nash’s equilibrium, an original idea. After reaching MIT,
Nash is shown cracking codes by the Russian Intelligence for an agent from the
Department of Defense, Willian Parcher. Soon after marrying and having a family with
Alicia, Nash’s delusions and the real world collide causing him to have a schizophrenic
break during a lecture at Harvard. The second half involves Nash discovering and
coming to terms with his degenerative illness with insulin shock therapy and medication.
Through his wife’s support, John manages to find loopholes in his hallucinations and
eventually returns to teaching. The biopic concludes with John Nash receiving the Nobel
Prize but learning to manage his delusions as the real award.
TRAIT THEORY OF PERSONALITY
Throughout the biopic, Nash’s prominent personality traits like high intellect, curiosity
towards academia, persistence in success, social awkwardness, unsympathetic and blunt
behavior, etc categorize him as a Type A personality. This is very noticeable when Nash
first meets his classmates and displays his lack of interpersonal skills by being unable to
respond to Martin Hansen’s joke in the same way and retorts by pointing out the
miscalculations in his work quite bluntly without remorse. His awareness of his
unsympathetic behavior can be seen when he says “My first-grade teacher, she told me
that I was born with two helpings of a brain but only half a helping of heart”. Another
instance where he converses with a lady in the bar depicts his struggles with social
interaction due to his bluntness leading to him getting slapped.
Traits of high intelligence and curiosity can be seen throughout the film from being
nicknamed ‘mysterious West Virginia genius’ by Martin Hansen to ‘The Egghead’ by the
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military officials in the Pentagon to ‘The Phantom of Fine Hall’ at Princeton by his peers
due to his behavior of scribbling on the libraries windows or blackboards and roaming
the halls quietly. Other visible actions of his high caliber include studying competitive
behavior by observing pigeons, football, and mugging, spending countless hours and
days studying, making the cover of the Fortune magazine, teaching complex classes as
well as receiving the Nobel Prize for his revolutionary finding.
His curiosity, however, is fueled by other Type A traits like persistence in sticking to his
decision to find an original discovery and being stubborn despite Dr. Hellinger, his
mentor, warning John about his lack of presence in lectures. Nash is seen as motivated
by challenges and has a strong urge to prove his worth whilst standing out from the
crowd, both traits which are extremely visible when Dr. Hellinger mentions in lines like
‘not nearly good enough’, ‘but up to this point your record doesn’t warrant for any
placement at all’; this can be noticed in a microscopic level when Martin Hansen
challenges Nash to a game of Go since he claims to be studying strategy. After losing,
nash unable to accept defeat due to his stubbornness, displayed competitiveness with
light aggression bringing into light a trait of time urgency.
Such Type A behavior justifies his nature of being stressed easily which can be seen
when Hansen easily distracts Nash during their match of Go and paranoia-based actions
cause hallucinations from stress, as later pointed out by his wife, Alicia. Finally, the
biopic highlights his high ambition or drive to achieve success, recognition, and
workaholism; scenes where Nash continues his job of cracking codes despite missing his
dates with Alicia or considering eating insignificant while studying in the library as well
as continuing mathematics after being diagnosed just to feel worthy, support these major
traits.
John Nash’s personality can be further examined using various personality-based
theories with ample evidence from many scenes in the film.
The first theory is Gordon Allport’s trait theory which utilizes a psychological perspective
to identify and measure differences in personality between individuals with stable traits
that are independent of time and in various situations. These influence an individual’s
behavior, feelings, and thoughts. Allport categorized traits into 3 levels:
1) CARDINAL TRAITS: Refers to dominant or rare traits that play a role so
persuasively in an individual’s life, that they alter every aspect from thinking to
actions. Although rare, John Nash’s personality can be comprised of cardinal traits
like his exceptional intelligence, resilience, and determination. Previously
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mentioned examples regarding his exceptional intelligence provide compelling
evidence of this trait as they overlap with his traits of resilience and
determination however, crucial scenes from being persistent with the success of
his theory to refusing to succumb to medication and showing a strong desire to
gain control back in his life, show the dominance of such a trait in his personality.
2) CENTRAL TRAITS: forming an individual’s core personality, these traits are more
general, have a widespread influence on behavior, and are commonly present for
all. John Nash’s central traits encompassed characteristics like introversion,
insecurity, and vulnerability along with social awkwardness. Although longing for
companionship and people skills, Nash prefers working alone instead of attending
classes or playing sports with his classmates. His constant need for validation and
recognition of his self-worth and intellect shape his character’s insecurity.
3) SECONDARY TRAITS: Traits specific to an individual’s context and situation may
not necessarily define their overall personality and only emerge in certain
situations, hence they are less consistent with weaker influence on behavior. Nash
exhibits such traits as his diagnosis of schizophrenia worsens his paranoia and
creates a mistrust of people. Additionally, his social withdrawal changes
throughout the biopic. Initially, Nash remains aloof with his classmates as he can't
seem to fit in with his lack of achievements, later on, his socialization is limited to
his colleagues Sol and Bender, as well as Alicia, mostly due to her high emotional
intelligence. He gains mistrust in people after learning about his hallucinations
but eventually, he learns to live with them as seen towards the end when he asks
one of his female students whether she can see the man who came to tell Nash
about getting a Nobel Prize all due to Alicia’s support.
Although Allport’s trait theory comprehensively describes John Nash’s personality, it fails
to take into account how his schizophrenia causes inconsistencies in his personality. The
first drawback is the assumption of trait stability over time which can be challenged due
to significant fluctuations in his behaviour and personality as Nash faces periods of
lucidity with episodes of psychosis. His delusions seem to mainly occur in a state of high
stress which questions the true origin of his stress which can also be produced by the
hallucinations creating this cyclic chain of events that can lead to an outbreak like Nash
had when he rejoined Princeton as well as when he abruptly ran away while giving a
lecture as he felt like he was being chased. This in turn also challenges other weaknesses
like trait interaction and measurement as symptoms like paranoia or mood instability
can be solely due to his illness and not due to his personality. Finally, Trait reductionism
explains how Nash’s complex, multifaceted personality cannot be fully captured with
traits alone as his struggle with mental illness prevents further studies and confines
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personality to a set of discrete traits.
A Comparative Study of the Big Five Factor Model of Personality for an individual with
schizophrenia and John Nash’s character shows much resemblance. This Model has 5
categories of basic dimensions that receive a high or low score. Patients with
schizophrenia tend to show:
●
High Neuroticism (N) - they are highly vulnerable to emotional instability and
self-consciousness which can be seen in Nash’s personality as well.
●
Low Extraversion (E) - there is a predisposition toward social abilities,
assertiveness, and social interactions which reflect Nash’s social awkwardness,
including his blunt and harsh speech.
●
Low Openness to Experience (O) - This explores cognitive disposition on creativity
and aesthetics which can be seen when Nash depicts stubbornness in his method
or decision to find success or his ideals. A great example is his willingness to
return to work despite his severe illness.
●
Low Agreeableness (A) - This trait revolves around being sympathetic, trusting,
and altruistic which Nash clearly lacks throughout the film.
●
Low Conscientiousness (C) - tendency towards dutifulness and competence,
although this cant be seen dominantly, disorganization plays a huge role that can
be noticed every time Nash has a psychotic episode trying to break a code as his
workspace is extremely cluttered and messy. Furthermore, such individuals have
a hard time maintaining their work-life and education which can be noticed as
Nash’s psychotic episodes make his life at Princeton harder.
This theory encompasses a few limitations revolving around limited scope due to the
model ignoring aspects like values, beliefs, motivation, and identity, another limitation
includes a lack of dynamism where traits can evolve over time as an individual’s
personality develops. This can be clearly seen towards the end as Nash takes a step
forward in battling schizophrenia by identifying hallucinations from reality and
becoming more social towards students, teaching faculty, and opening up to his wife.
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PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORY BY DR. SIGMUND FREUD
A Beautiful Mind portrays the life of the genius mathematician John Nash, who had the
inherent gift of being able to “see” a solution. It explores his battles with the paranoid
type of schizophrenia [1] and the efforts he put in to overcome it. The mental disorder
that John Nash suffered from can be explained through the lens of psychodynamic
theory. I would like to use this approach to explore the workings of John Nash’s mind and
the individuals in his life. However, this approach is not without limitations of its own,
which I will discuss later.
BACKGROUND
The question that arises is “What is Psychodynamics?”
To understand Psychodynamics, we first need to understand Psychoanalysis theory,
which was proposed by Sigmund Freud in the early 1900s. He argued that a person’s
personality is determined by their unconscious mind. Some of his followers, which
include Carl Jung, Alfred Adler and Karen Horney, used Freud’s theory as their basis,
refined it and developed their psychodynamic approaches. Therefore, the
psychodynamic approach can be considered as an extension of the psychoanalysis
theory. The psychodynamic theory states that unconscious forces determine a person’s
personality, and behaviors and shape their thoughts over which one has very little
awareness and control. The differences between both these approaches could be
understood better by focusing on their approach towards therapy which I will talk about
later. [2]
Freud proposed the ‘Iceberg Metaphor’ to explain the human psyche. He argued that
only the tip of the iceberg explains the conscious part of our psyche, while the remaining
bigger chunk is submerged in the subconscious and unconscious mind. This is intricately
linked with the Tripartite model proposed by Freud which is explained in the next
paragraph.
TRIPARTITE MODEL
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To explain a person’s personality he brought forth the idea of three hypothetical
structures:
●
Id: The irrational part of our personality which occupies the majority of the
unconscious mind and deals with the innermost desires and basic needs. This is
what is known as the ‘pleasure principle’. It seeks maximization of satisfaction
and minimisation of tension. It lacks morality and is unrealistic, which leads us to
the 2nd structure, Ego.
●
Ego: The part of the personality that balances the unrealistic expectations of Id is
known as the Ego. It combats the desires of the Id by making sure it conforms
with society’s norms. This is why it is known as the ‘reality principle’. In essence,
it’s the rational part of our personality.
●
Super Ego: One’s internal moral compass or conscience can be used to describe
the SuperEgo. It tells us what is right or wrong. It can also inflict self-punishment
in the form of guilt or shame in case one’s actions are morally wrong.
The Ego is the mediator between the Id and the SuperEgo. Id by itself would produce an
individual who relies solely on his desires without any regard for his actions, making
him akin to a beast. Super Ego by itself would create an individual that refuses to
compromise morally which may be required in life. The Ego is a negotiator that seeks to
satisfy the demands of the id without offending the moral standards of the superego.
Possible Reasons behind Nash’s schizophrenia
●
Id: Nash’s innermost desire is to make a breakthrough in the field of mathematics.
He wants to be renowned. He feels inferior to one of his colleagues, Martin
Hansen. He desperately writes on the glass window exploring everyday
occurrences to prove his theory of governing dynamics. This led to his 1st
hallucination where he imagined Charles Herman, his roommate at Princeton
University (Year: 1947). His intense desire to be the best in the field of
mathematics led to him believing he was the best at decoding ciphers in the
world. This ended up spiraling into his 2nd hallucination: William Parcher, a
secret agent who recruits him to fight against the Soviet Union (Year: 1953).
Another one of his desires was for a family. Upon hearing about his wife’s
pregnancy, he had his 3rd hallucination: Marcee, who was Charles’s niece. (Year:
1954)
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●
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Nash was obsessed with mathematics.
From an early age, he preferred to stay inside his room and work on
mathematical equations. At Princeton University, he never attended classes as he
felt they were a waste of his time and would not help in the progress of his theory.
He tirelessly wrote formulas on the window of his room in the dorm at Princeton
University, often forgetting to eat or sleep. These instances depict his OCD which
have might increased his chances of schizophrenia. [3]
●
Social Environment: As evidenced throughout the movie, Nash has trouble
communicating with others. He uses mathematical puns as a crutch. He tends to
find faults in others’ work due to his inability to interact and express himself. He
lacks tact and courtesy which lands him in trouble, be it socially or romantically.
Therefore, environmental interactions can influence schizophrenia. [4]
Scene from the Movie:
Nash is at the bar with BECKY, a blond co-ed at Princeton University. The two
stand there in awkward silence. The moment stretches on. Finally ...
BECKY: Maybe you want to buy me a drink.
NASH: Look, I don't know exactly what things I am required to say in order for
you to have intercourse with me. But could we assume I've said them? I mean
essentially we're talking about fluid exchange, right? So, could we go right to the
sex?
BECKY: That was sweet. She SLAPS him across the face.
BECKY: Have a nice night, asshole.
Positive Influence of His Hallucinations
Nash’s hallucination of Charles led him to have more faith in himself as he doubted
himself due to his inability to come up with an original idea at Princeton. His constant
support is what led him to make his breakthrough in governing dynamics which changed
the course of modern economics. Charles was great at life advice which led to Nash
improving his relationship with his colleagues and friends (Martin Hansen, Sol and
Bender). He helped him deal with stress by making jokes that Nash could personally
relate to.
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Negative Influence of His Hallucinations
Nash’s intense desire to be renowned along with his anxiousness might have led to the
hallucination of William Parcher, a secret agent fighting against the Soviet Union. He
imagined himself to be the best natural code-breaker in history. This hallucination
disrupted his social life as it caused him to believe that anyone interfering with his
“work” was either a spy or from the Soviet Union. His hallucination of Charles almost
caused the death of his son. Nash had drawn up a bath and left Charles in charge of
watching his son. Alicia's prompt actions fortunately averted this tragedy.
Evidence of Psychodynamics through Defense Mechanisms
A major aspect of Psychodynamics can be evidenced by Defence Mechanisms. People
employ defense mechanisms to reduce anxiety as it is an intense negative emotional
experience. The types of Defense Mechanisms observed in the movie are:
●
Rationalisation and Denial: Nash’s world came crashing around him when he got
to know that some of the closest people in his life (Charles, Marcee and William)
were his hallucinations. He was in constant denial and tried to rationalize his
hallucinations by calling Dr. Rosen, a psychiatrist trying to help him, a spy. This
way, he could avoid dealing with his hallucinations.
●
Repression: Nash’s hallucinations indicate his inability to form meaningful
connections with others. Later on, he combats his hallucinations by repressing
and ignoring their existence.
●
Hyperfixation: Nash’s over-reliance on mathematics could be a defense
mechanism whereby he focuses on logic to avoid dealing with his emotional
issues.
Limitations of using Psychodynamic Theory
●
Biological factors: Psychodynamics lays an important emphasis on childhood
experiences and the unconscious mind. Moreover, Schizophrenia is a mental
disorder that Is 80% dependent on genes. [5] However, the movie begins in 1947
thereby leaving out most of Nash’s childhood and doesn’t tell us anything about
his parents.
●
Difficulty in verifying concepts: The concepts of the Ego, Super Ego, Id and the
unconscious mind are not observable which makes verifying them difficult. These
concepts can be used as some of the possible reasons to explain Nash’s
schizophrenia but they are not definitive.
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●
Focus on the past/Deterministic: The theory depends on the past to determine
one’s present. It implies that one’s behaviors are predetermined and don’t account
for one’s mental resilience and the help one receives from others. The movie
portrays that Alicia, Nash’s wife, played an instrumental role in helping him
through his schizophrenia, which isn’t accounted for by the psychodynamic
approach.
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COGNITIVE-BEHAVIOURAL THEORY BY DR. AARON T BECK
Cognitive-Behavioural Theory is based on the idea that our thoughts, emotions, and
behaviour are interconnected and how changes in one can have a ripple effect on the
other aspects as well. It outlines how an individual’s mental processes play a crucial role
in the development of their emotional state.
Key Concepts of this theory include:
●
Automatic thoughts: Involuntary thoughts that come up in our minds as a
response to situations or circumstances. These thoughts may be right or wrong
and can have a substantial impact on how an individual behaves.
●
Cognitive Dissonance: This theory holds that people are motivated to resolve
discrepancies between their behaviour and their attitudes or beliefs by making
them more compatible.
●
Cognitive Distortions: Ways of thinking that can get us a wrong idea of the
situation. Examples include:
○
Mental Filter: You pay undue attention to one negative detail instead of
seeing the whole picture.
○
Mind Reading: You believe you know what others are thinking, failing to
consider other, more likely possibilities.
○
Catastrophizing: You predict the future negatively without considering
other, more likely outcomes.
“A Beautiful Mind” portrays the life of John Nash, a famous mathematician, and a Nobel
Prize recipient. We can analyse this movie through the lenses of Cognitive-Behavioural
Theory to better understand the characters’ way of thinking, and how it affects their
behaviour. Let’s take a look at some scenes:
Scene 1: An Instance of Thought-Emotion-Behaviour Relationship
Context for the scene:
Nash is attending the function after winning the Carnegie Scholarship. He meets a few
people, namely, Neilson, Bender, Richard Sol and Martin Hansen, a fellow winner of the
Carnegie Scholarship. Hansen has been looking to enroll into Wheeler Lab, MIT’s
“military think-tank”. It’s also mentioned that he’s likely to be the first pick to join
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Wheeler Lab.
Script:
Hansen: “The burden of genius.”
Bender: “There he is.”
Hansen: “So many supplicants, and so little time. Mr. Sol.”
Sol: “How are you, sir?”
Hansen: “Bender. Nice to see you.”
Bender: “Congratulations, Mr. Hansen.”
Hansen: “Thank you.” *Looks at Nash* “I'll take another.”
Nash: “Excuse me?”
Hansen: “Pardon me. I assumed you were the waiter.”
Neilson: “Play nice.” *Looks at Nash* “Nice is not Hansen's strong suit.”
Hansen: “Honest mistake.”
Nash: “Well, Martin Hansen. It is Martin, isn't it?”
Hansen: “Why, yes, John, it is.”
Nash: “I imagine you're getting quite used to miscalculation. I've read your
preprints...both of them. The one on nazi ciphers...and the other one on nonlinear
equations...and I am supremely confident that there is not a single seminal...or
innovative idea in either one of them. Enjoy your punch.” *Walks away*
Hansen: “Gentlemen, meet John Nash...the mysterious West Virginia genius.
The other winner of the distinguished Carnegie Scholarship.”
Analysis:
We can clearly feel the tension between Hansen and Nash here. Having both won the
Carnegie Scholarship, they both consider each other as rivals. Hansen seems to be trying
to make fun of Nash to lower his self-esteem.
Emotion: Nash feels embarrassed and inferior in front of his well-respected rival.
Thought: Nash has a competitive nature. He has won the Carnegie Scholarship. He
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cannot have his rival disrespect him in front of others.
Behaviour: The flustered Nash retaliates by stating that Hansen’s work is devoid of
innovative ideas.
We can also see that Nash refuses to maintain eye contact with Hansen and walks away
from the conversation. This can be interpreted as a manifestation of his lack of
confidence and inferiority complex.
Scene 2: An Instance of Cognitive Dissonance
Context for the scene:
Hansen and his friends are playing the game of Go, a strategy game where players try to
capture more territory than their opponent. Hansen seems to be good at the game which
discourages others to go against him. He spots Nash walking backwards. Confused, he
enquires about it. Nash responds that he is trying to extract an algorithm to define the
movements of pigeons. He goes on to say that classes are dull and destroy the potential
for authentic creativity. Hansen challenges Nash for a game of Go and Nash accepts.
Script:
Hansen: “Let me ask you something, John.”
Nash: “Be my guest, Martin.”
Hansen: “Bender and Sol here correctly completed Allen's proof of Peron’s conjectures.”
Nash: “Adequate work...without innovation.”
Sol: “I'm flattered. You flattered?”
Bender: “Flattered.”
Hansen: “And I've got two weapons briefs under security review by the DOD.”
Nash: “Derivative drivel.”
Hansen: “But Nash achievements: zero.”
Nash: “I'm a patient man, Martin. Is there an actual question coming?”
Hansen: “What if you never come up with your original idea?”
*Nash gets irritated*
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Hansen: “How will it feel when I'm chosen for Wheeler...and you're not?”
Hansen: “What if you lose?” *makes a deft move and wins the game*
Nash: “You should not have won.”
Hansen: “Hmm.”
Nash: “I had the first move; my play was perfect.”
Hansen: “The hubris of the defeated.”
Nash: “The game is flawed.”
*Nash gets up furiously and leaves, knocking over the board and scattering the pieces*
Hansen: “Gentlemen, the great John Nash.” *people laughs*
Analysis:
Following the strained relationship between John Nash and Martin Hansen, we come to
the instance of their next exchange. Hansen continues to attack Nash’s hubris and feeds
him negative thoughts like what if he never finds an original idea or what if he never
makes it into Wheeler Lab. Nash is obviously irritated but tries to smile it off in front of
others. But Nash’s competitive mind cannot take another loss to his rival. Losing the
game makes him furious, and he storms off. In Nash’s mind, he is supposed to be the
smartest, and losing to others in a strategy game is unacceptable. So, he alters his beliefs
into thinking that the game is flawed and that he was going to lose regardless.
Scene 3: An Instance of Cognitive Distortion
Context for the scene:
Dr. Hellinger informs Nash that his record doesn’t warrant any placements for him
anywhere. Hearing this, Nash grows desperate and has a huge breakdown trying to find
something from his observations. His roommate Charles Hermen tries to help him.
Script:
Nash: “I can't see it.” *bangs his head into the window*
Hermen: "Jesus Christ, John.”
Nash: “I can't fail.”
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Nash: “This is all I am.”
Hermen: “Come on, let's go out.”
Nash: “I have to get something done.”
Hermen: “John!”
Nash: “I can't keep staring into space.”
Hermen: “John, enough!”
Nash: “Got to face the wall, follow their rules…” *starts pushing tables around*
Hermen: “You wanna do some damage, that’s fine, but don’t mess around”
Nash: “read their books...do their classes.”
Hermen: “Come on! Go on, bust your head! kill yourself. John do it. Don't mess around.
Bust your head! Go on, bust that worthless head wide open.” *frustratedly pushes Nash*
Nash: “goddamn it, Charles! What the hell is your problem?”
Hermen: “It's not my problem. And it's not your problem. It's their problem. Your answer
isn't, ‘face the wall.’ it's out there...where you've been working.”
Analysis:
We can see a good example of all or nothing cognitive distortion here. Nash believes that
he is nothing without his research work. He believes that making a publication is what
defines him as a person. He is desperate to find something original that he can write on
and publish in order to get into Wheeler Lab. None of his other qualities matter to him.
His only desire in life is to get recognised by other great mathematicians and intellectuals
for his work. This way of thinking has led him into a spiral of depression and results in
him being cooped up in his room for hours every day. His erratic behaviour like writing
on the windows and randomly cycling in the courtyard can also be accredited to these
reasons.
Through the scenes depicted above we can see how Nash’s beliefs and thoughts affect his
behaviour. We can also see how he copes with failures through cognitive dissonance and
how cognitive distortions played a huge role in accelerating his depression, eventually
leading to schizophrenia.
Charles Hermen, his roommate, a part of his schizophrenic imagination, seems to be able
to snap Nash out of his breakdown. He is almost like the complete opposite of John Nash.
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Outgoing, talkative, humorous, he really is everything Nash isn’t. This is probably why
Nash is able to share all his feelings and worries with him. He’s not the person who
would judge Nash’s behaviour and gives him good life advice in dire situations. He seems
like the manifestation of Nash’s hidden persona that he wants to explore. Nash wants to
be able to walk around carefree and talk to others normally.
Limitations of Cognitive Behavioural Theory
●
Cognitive Behavioural Theory primarily focuses on the current thoughts and
feelings. It doesn’t take into account the experiences from childhood. We don’t
know much about the childhood of John Nash. So we cannot be completely sure of
what started his erratic behaviour and mood swings. There is a possibility that
something that he has experienced in the past has had a significant effect on his
character.
●
Cognitive Behavioural Theory doesn’t account for social interactions. We all know
how social situations have a substantial effect on a person’s behaviour. Humans
are social creatures. We live in families and work in teams. One bad interaction
with someone could ruin someone’s entire day. Such an important aspect not
being discussed is definitely a drawback in the psychological analysis using
Cognitive Behavioural Theory. This will be addressed in the coming section.
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SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY THEORY
The theory of social psychology explores how other people's presence and behaviours
affect an individual's ideas, feelings, and behaviors. It looks at things like interpersonal
interactions, group dynamics, social influence, and how societal norms and expectations
affect people's thoughts and actions. Fundamentally, social psychology aims to clarify the
intricacies of interpersonal communication by illuminating how social environments
influence our perceptions, choices, and sense of self. Social psychology theory offers a
deeper knowledge of the dynamics that shape our daily lives by delivering priceless
insights into the basic mechanisms underpinning human social behaviour through
empirical research and theoretical frameworks.
Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner)
John Nash is constantly seen trying to balance his social identity. As a mathematician,
Nash derives his self-worth from his past academic success, he tries to fit himself within
an esoteric circle, distancing himself from what he perceives as the mediocrity of others.
He even says, “I cannot waste time with these classes and books, memorizing the weak
assumptions of lesser mortals” (Howard, 2001). But as he struggles with the
development of schizophrenia, which causes him to have grandiose and paranoid
delusions, his sense of self is shattered. According to the theory of social identity, people
associate with prestigious groups to preserve a positive social identity (Tajfel & Turner,
1979).
The main ideas of social identity theory are shown by Nash's journey, especially the
concepts of social comparison, social categorization, and social identification. This theory
does not explain Nash's mental illness and how it affected the way he formed his identity.
Social Comparison Theory (Festinger)
As shown in the film, during his graduate school years, Nash often compared himself to
other people. According to Festinger's social comparison theory, people try to assess their
own beliefs and skills by contrasting them with those of others (Festinger, 1954). Nash
developed a need to outperform others and gain popularity within the higher echelon of
the mathematical circle. Nash's drive and need for approval are explained by social
comparison theory. Still, internal issues like cognitive distortions and neurological
disorders that affect perception and behavior are not taken into account. This theory
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doesn’t also account for the fact of an impartial assessment from Nash himself.
Social Learning Theory (Bandura)
John Nash's views and actions throughout "A Beautiful Mind" are greatly influenced by
his relationships with his mentors and coworkers. The significance of observational
learning—the process by which people pick up new behaviors and attitudes by seeing
and copying others—is explained by Bandura's social learning theory (Bandura, 1977).
Alicia offers him emotional support and encouragement to continue, which, combined
with social modeling and positive reinforcement, helps him gradually recover from his
schizophrenia.
Bandura's theory of social learning provides insights into Nash's social responses. His
relationship with his wife helps him with emotional control and cognitive restructuring.
But the theory is heavily based on observable behaviours. His warped perceptions make
it difficult for him to distinguish between reality and illusion, which causes him to not
understand social cues. Furthermore, because Nash frequently acts based on his
motivations and his subjective interpretations of his surroundings, the theory falls short
of completely accounting for the role that individual agency plays in determining his
learning outcomes.
Social Penetration Theory (Altman & Taylor)
Nash’s slow opening up to his wife Alicia is a textbook example of social penetration
theory. According to Altman and Taylor's 1973 proposal, interpersonal relationships are
formed through a process of intimacy and self-disclosure in which people divulge
progressively more intimate information to one another. The eventual strengthening of
Nash and Alicia's relationship illustrates the theory's focus on mutual disclosure and
emotional connection. However, because of his erratic behavior, Nash's fight with
schizophrenia creates hinders his intimacy.
The theory sheds light on the dynamics of Nash's relationship with Alicia and highlights
the value of vulnerability and self-disclosure in establishing emotional intimacy. But it
ignores the obstacles his mental illness presents to actual intimacy. Nash's wanting to
retreat and disassociate himself from reality during his episodes, makes disclosure and
any emotional growth difficult. The asymmetry of Nash and Alicia’s relationship is seen
as she ends up being his main source of stability and support during his illness.
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Social Exchange Theory (Thibaut & Kelley)
Nash's interactions with others reflect the principles of Thibaut and Kelley's social
exchange theory. The theory suggests that people enter into relationships based on the
benefits they expect while minimizing any potential costs. Nash's relationship with Alicia
exemplifies this, as he receives emotional support and companionship, along with
sacrifices due to his mental health struggles. For example, Nash gets emotional support
from Alicia in their marriage, but there are sacrifices to this, given his mental health
issues. The reciprocity and mutual advantage dictates his relationships with coworkers
as he tries to use his intellectual capabilities to gain attention. The theory emphasizes the
significance of reciprocity and mutual benefit in maintaining interpersonal relationships
and provides an insightful understanding of Nash's relational dynamics. Nash's battle
with schizophrenia creates unpredictable variables that defy the usual cost-to-benefit
analysis. The theory falls short in explaining the significance of emotional investment in
his relationships.
Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura)
Nash's social environment shapes his perception, interpretation, and memory. Bandura's
social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986) elucidates the reciprocal relationship between
cognitive processes, behavior, and the environment, which ultimately influences human
behavior. Nash's encounters with social exclusion, betrayal, and rejection fuel his
paranoid delusions and cognitive distortions, which then heighten his distrust of others.
Conversely, moments of connection with Alicia and his colleagues offer opportunities for
cognitive restructuring and adaptive coping as he reinterprets social cues. Bandura's
theory offers a lens through which to analyze Nash's cognitive processes, emphasizing
the interplay between individual cognition and social context. However, it overlooks the
unique challenges posed by Nash's schizophrenia in accurately perceiving and
responding to social cues. Nash's susceptibility to hallucinations and delusions distorts
his reality perception, impeding cognitive restructuring and adaptive learning.
Moreover, his cognitive impairments hinder his engagement in activities such as
self-reflection and self-regulation, limiting the applicability of social cognitive theory to
his experiences.
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John Nash’s Recovery
The movie talks about how Nash managed to ignore his hallucinations and live with
them instead of trying to get rid of them and seeking a complete cure. This parallels what
we know about schizophrenia in reality, where the goal is symptom management as
completely treating is not possible. Medication did help Nash with his hallucinations, but
it interfered with his ability to solve mathematical problems. Nash was afraid of hurting
Alicia and his baby, but Alicia assured him that she was real and would be with him
every step of the way. This allowed him to be a part of the community again in 1956 and
he returned to Princeton University. It took him 22 years to start teaching again, but he
was able to live with his hallucinations this time without impacting his reality. He
identified the hallucinations as his past haunting him just like the dreams and
nightmares of any other individual. By 1994, he had been a professor for 16 years and
now can have humorous exchanges with other people about his hallucinations. He treats
his hallucinations “like a diet of the mind that he chooses not to indulge”. His peers give
their pen to him (This is a sign of respect in the academic community to acknowledge
one’s contributions). He wins the Nobel Prize for Economics in the same year. He credits
all of his successes and his reason for living to his wife Alicia.
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CONCLUSION
One thing we have to keep in mind is that, while “A Beautiful Mind” depicts John Nash’s
struggles, a good part of it is done to provide a dramatic story. While each of the above
psychological theories can provide an insight into schizophrenia, a complete
understanding requires a clinical psychology perspective.
Nash displays various consistent symptoms related to schizophrenia:
●
Hallucination: Nash frequently experiences visual and auditory hallucinations
and have interactions with imaginary characters (his roommate, Marcee, William
Parcher)
●
Delusions: Nash is constantly paranoid that lives of his loved ones are in
danger.(believes that Dr. Rosen is a russian spy)
●
Negative Symptoms: Nash is found spending most of his time in his room, working
on coming up with some original idea. The few social interactions he is seen
having is with his imaginary friend. This display of withdrawal symptoms can
also be counted as symptoms for schizophrenia.
The frequency and intensity of symptoms are generally used to determine the severity of
schizophrenia. As the film doesn’t provide much detail on these occurrences, it is hard to
ascertain the degree of severity. But it is safe to assume that the presence of the said
symptoms has had a profound impact on his daily life.
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REFERENCES
[1] Capps D. John Nash, game theory, and the schizophrenic brain. J Relig Health. 2011
Mar;50(1):145-62. doi: 10.1007/s10943-009-9291-5. PMID: 19862621.
[2]https://www.hiwellapp.com/en/blog/psychoanalytic-and-psychodynamic-therapies-diff
erences-and-commonalities#:~
[3] https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/ocd-and-schizophrenia
[4] van Os J, McGuffin P. Can the social environment cause schizophrenia? British Journal
of Psychiatry. 2003;182(4):291-292. doi:10.1192/bjp.182.4.291
[5] https://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/what-causes-schizophrenia
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