Ever found yourself ugly crying at a car commercial? No, us neither. But seriously, some of us genuinely tear up at emotional commercials. And most of us at a film that tugs at our heart strings.
Here's the thing: your brain is actually doing exactly what it's supposed to do. Huh, what's that you say?
It turns out there's proper science behind why we get emotionally hijacked by a good story. And if you're curious about what's happening in your head during those teary moments (or you just want some fascinating conversation starters for your next coffee break), you've come to the right place.
OK so here's where it gets interesting. When you're watching a gripping scene unfold, your brain doesn't just observe. It participates.
Neuroscientists have discovered that during compelling narratives, our mirror neurons fire as if we were actually experiencing the events ourselves.
Picture this: a dramatic scene unfolds on screen and suddenly you're sobbing along with the hero. Your mirror neurons are essentially making you walk in someone else's shoes, even though you know it's just a movie. Meanwhile, your brain is pumping out a cocktail of hormones that would make a bartender jealous.
Psychologist Paul Zak found that watching emotionally charged stories causes spikes in oxytocin (the "empathy hormone") and cortisol. Viewers with higher oxytocin levels after watching emotional content reported feeling more empathy.
And get this, they even became more generous. Some studies showed these viewers were more likely to donate money to strangers afterward.
So that tearjerker isn't just movie magic. It's literally rewiring your brain chemistry to care more about other people. Mad, right?
Now here's something that'll surprise you: crying at movies is actually good for you. Studies of moviegoers show that while a sad film might leave you feeling momentarily down, your mood bounces back stronger than before.
Viewers who cried during moving scenes were more relaxed and emotionally refreshed about 90 minutes later.
In one experiment, audiences felt worse immediately after a tearful movie, but by an hour or two later they felt better than they did before watching it. It's like tears press a reset button on your emotional state.
This makes sense when you think about it. Crying helps release built-up tension and process emotions that words simply can't capture. It's no coincidence that people cry at both funerals and weddings.
We shed tears at extreme emotions, whether sorrow or joy, because it's bloody hard to put those deep feelings into words.
From a creator's perspective, this emotional response is absolute gold. Advertisers and filmmakers know that when they can make you feel something real, you remember their message. That's why so many commercials are crafted like mini-movies designed to tug at your heartstrings.
Remember that famous Ikea "Lamp" commercial? Shows an old lamp being discarded and somehow makes you feel genuinely sorry for it. Until the narrator cheekily scolds you for caring about a piece of furniture. Genius.
Or think about those Christmas charity ads where a child helps a stranger, or viral videos of dogs reuniting with their owners.
Take the John Lewis Christmas adverts. They've become cultural phenomena precisely because they're engineered to hit your empathy button. Same with those Thai insurance commercials that somehow make you sob over life insurance.
The emotional connection sticks. When viewers feel something authentic, they remember the brand or message long after the credits roll.
So what exactly triggers those waterworks? Several factors work together to create the perfect emotional storm:
Empathy triggers We cry when we see ourselves in the story. A character in pain, a joyful triumph, often accompanied by a moving score. Those mirror neurons fire up, oxytocin flows, and suddenly we're sharing a stranger's emotions.
Narrative structure A well-crafted story builds to a powerful climax. When that emotional peak hits – think the opening sequence of Up, Mufasa's death in The Lion King, or the "I am Iron Man" moment – our brain snaps to attention. Lab tests show that classic narrative arcs with dramatic builds spike viewers' cortisol and oxytocin, creating profound empathy.
Music and nostalgia A swelling soundtrack or familiar themes can amplify tearjerker moments exponentially. Music has this sneaky way of unlocking memories and emotions we didn't even know we were carrying. There's actually fascinating psychology behind how visuals and audio trigger emotions that video creators use to their advantage.
Catharsis and relief Many tearful scenes end with resolution: a saved life, a solved problem. Once that tension finally bursts, crying becomes emotional release, helping us feel genuinely better afterward.
Here's something worth sharing at your next dinner party: tearing up at movies shows empathy and emotional intelligence, not weakness. Research suggests that people who cry at films tend to have stronger emotional intelligence and even leadership qualities.
After all, it means you're not afraid to care and connect with others.
Think about it. Whether it's the final scene in Toy Story 3, that devastating moment in Inside Out when Bing Bong fades away, or even a well-crafted Budweiser Super Bowl commercial with the Clydesdales, your emotional response signals sophisticated brain processing.
One study bluntly notes that "crying in films releases oxytocin, enhancing empathy and signaling emotional strength." So if you find your cheeks wet during a film, you're simply highly attuned to others' feelings. Surely that's something to be proud of?
At Outmost Studio, we're fascinated by this science because it's at the heart of what we do. When we craft animated videos for brands, we're not just creating pretty visuals. We're engineering emotional connections.
We build narratives that people can genuinely feel, because emotional engagement means people remember and care about the message. And ultimately the message-maker. The brand.
Understanding the psychology behind emotional storytelling is what separates good content from unforgettable content.
Think about the most memorable commercials you've seen. Chances are, they made you feel something. They didn't just inform you about a product. They connected with you on a human level. That's the power of emotional storytelling in action.
So next time a film or commercial makes you misty-eyed, don't be embarrassed. Be impressed. Your brain is doing exactly what evolution designed it to do: connecting with stories and building empathy for others. It's a reminder that stories bind us together, and letting yourself feel that connection is part of what makes being human so compelling.
Those tears? They're proof that a story worked its magic. And in a world where we're constantly bombarded with information, the content that makes us actually feel something is the content that matters.
Embrace those tears. They're your brain's way of saying, "This story reached me." And isn't that exactly what great storytelling is for?
