I chose to analyze Despicable Me, an animated film aimed at a younger audience, because I wanted to examine the underlying theories and messages that this film would convey to its viewers. Often, when watching animated films, children are unaware of these messages because they are absorbed in the characters, special effects and humor. But as we have learned throughout this semester, our brains are unconsciously prepared by the different environments we are exposed to. Since we have also studied the impact of entertainment, such as television and video games, on children, I wanted to see how a popular children's film might affect them as well. Throughout the film, viewers witness a drastic change in Gru's image. This is very important to recognize because self-concept influences “the roles we play, the social identities we form, the comparisons we make with others, and our successes and failures” (Meyers, 40). At first, Gru collectively characterizes himself as a villain and, therefore, forms a social identity as an evil individual. He doesn't compare himself to a profane person, like his next-door neighbor, but rather to other villains and their criminal accomplishments. His self-image influences the role he plays in society, and therefore his behavior and actions. Gru's behavior can be described as selfish, as he only cares about his own gains and advantages and is very aggressive. He shapes his behavior to emphasize his social role as a villain. For example, at the beginning of the film, when Gru sees a young boy crying because he dropped his ice cream, he makes him a balloon animal. When the boy starts to smile, Gru then pulls out a pin and pops the balloon. When he encounters for a long time...... middle of paper ...... magic patterns with his goals. This is made clear towards the end of the film, where Gru realizes that his desire to be with his three daughters and become a good father, an intrinsically motivated goal, outweighs his desire to be recognized as the most big bad guy of the world. and Gardener, W. (1996). Who is this “We”? Levels of collective identity and self-representations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: Vol 71, No. 1, 83-93.Mikulincer, M. and Shaver, PR, (2005). Attachment security, compassion and altruism. American Psychological Society: Current Directions in Psychological Science: Vol 14, No. 1.Croll, WL, & Smith, RM (1984). The effects of timing of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society: 415-417. Myers, DG (2010). Social psychology (10th ed.). New York: McGraw Hill.