An Examination of Factors Related to Sex Differences In Enjoyment of Sad Films

Three studies were conducted to examine possible explanations for sex differences in enjoyment of sad films. The first two studies examined enjoyment of prototypical "female" and "male" sad films (Beaches and Brian's Song); the third study utilized film descriptions to examine the impact of gender identity (i.e., gender role self-perceptions) and film characteristics (theme and characters' sex) on anticipated enjoyment. Overall, females and communal (feminine) viewers reported greater enjoyment, particularly of films featuring relational themes.