London - Feeling glum? Sitting down to watch a tear-jerker film could make you happier, scientists have claimed.
Researchers found that watching a tragic movie caused people to think about their own close relationships, which boosted their happiness as they counted their blessings.
Professor Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick, who led the study at Ohio State University, said it was the first to take a scientific approach to explain why people enjoy watching sad films.
She said: “Negative emotions make you think critically about your situation. So seeing a tragic movie may make you sad, but will cause you to think more about your own close relationships and appreciate them more.”
The study involved 361 students who viewed the 2007 film Atonement, starring Keira Knightley and James McAvoy, about two lovers who are separated and die as war casualties. - Daily Mail