Analysis on the Movie Instinct

Instinct –About A Mere Illusion
One of the two main characters in this movie is Dr. Ethan Powell, an anthropologist. The study of primatology is present in this movie, because Dr. Powell is shown several times living with the mountain gorillas. He gains their trust by adapting to the way they live and interact. I think a little bit of cultural anthropology is also present because although he is studying primates, I believe they have a culture and Dr. Powell has adapted to their nature.
The second important character in this movie is Dr. Theo Caulder, a psychologist. The first sub field of psychology that is present in this movie is cognitive psychology. We are introduced to Dr. Caulder while he is interviewing a patient who is delusional and tries to help her understand that she may be wrong. Another sub field of psychology presented is behavioural psychology. The inmates may not have acted the way that they did if it was not for the guards and Warden. Because of the excess cruelty, the inmates were brutalized and forced to re direct their negative energy to each other. I think psychoanalytic psychology is also present in this movie. When Dr. Powell is captured by the poachers, the Silverback tries to save him. Similarly when Peter, one of the inmates is being beaten, Dr. Powell steps in to help him like when the Silverback did. I think this was unconscious motivation from the previous event.
Dr. Ethan Powell and Dr. Theo Caulder have very contrastive ways of conducting and obtaining their research. Dr. Powell adapted into the forest to live with the mountain gorillas to observe rituals and group behaviour. When he realized they were uncomfortable with the camera, he left it behind and started to see them for who they were for the first time. He was “a man living with animals” because the gorillas reached across and accepted him, a human. He started to care for the gorillas and they eventually became his family. Dr. Caulder on the other hand tries to