Psychology of Catharsis

For centuries the notion that immersing ourselves in tragic stories — whether in ancient Greek plays, Shakespearean dramas, or contemporary films — can cleanse us of negative emotions and bring us back into psychological equilibrium. Catharsis has fascinated writers, artists, and psychologists alike. The theory of catharsis, which is derived from Aristotle’s Poetics, posits that seeing the unraveling of a flawed but relatable figure allows viewers to purge bottled feelings of pity and fear, emerging as emotionally cleansed. This idea, sometimes called the “catharsis hypothesis,” has entered into artistic theory and psychological discussion. But does it still stand up to the modern eye? But as psychologists and researchers have re-examined this ancient theory, a rich and nuanced portrait has come to light — one that calls into question its therapeutic potential even as it reveals its continuing allure. 

Aristotle’s Legacy and the Birth of Catharsis 

Aristotle, in Poetics, introduced catharsis as a defining aspect of the tragedy, describing it as the mechanism by which dramatic arcs elicit “pity and fear” to bring about their “purgation”. The catharsis of Aristotle is usually read as a psychological cleansing — a harmonizing of feelings through vicarious experience. In the 19th century, it evolved into the cathartic method, by Josef Breuer and Sigmund Freud, where hypnosis was used to extract suppressed feelings in hysterical patients (Studies on Hysteria, 1895).

Freud would later disavow this approach, prioritizing insight over emotional discharge, but the seed was planted: catharsis became a foundational principle of psychoanalytic thought and a common way to frame an understanding of the emotional impact of art. 

The Modern Debate: Evidence and Ambiguity 

But more recent studies — 2020 to 2025 — deliver a mixed verdict on catharsis, illustrating both its appeal and its shortcomings. Three of the most persuasive studies derive from a 2021 qualitative analysis conducted by Italian researchers. The study sought to explain the attraction of epidemic-themed films during the 2020 lockdown. Participants said that identifying with isolated, suffering characters helped provide emotional release, alleviating feeling alone with uncertainty. As one respondent put it, “Seeing someone lonelier than me made me feel less lonely”. This identification, they argue, enkindled a cathartic liberation indicating that tragedies can reflect and exorcize real-world angst. 

But the findings in this study are anecdotal, not experimental, and its context — a global pandemic — may not be generalizable. Analyzing decades of data, including studies from 2020–2022, the authors did not find consistent evidence that consuming violent or tragic content reduces aggression or negative feelings. Instead, exposure frequently aggravated agitation, subverting the purgative narrative. “The belief that venting via tragedy purges the psyche is a soothing myth,” they ultimately conclude, repeating earlier critiques by Bushman (1999) that catharsis may be a “self-fulfilling prophecy.” 

The Mechanisms of Catharsis: Insight or Outburst? 

Scientists suggest catharsis isn’t just about emotional releasing, but the completion of stifled self-expression. They argue that when people express repressed emotions they receive insight, not merely catharsis. Such undercuts Aristotle’s larger ethical valence, where tragedy purges not simply emotion but muddies existing moral clarity. And they warn that unless accompanied by cognitive integration, emotional discharge can be momentary or even counterproductive indeed, a position endorsed by Kennedy-Moore and Watson (1999), whose findings reveal that venting that lacks meaning-making often increases distress. 

A 2022 study published in Cognition & Emotion adds even more complexity to the picture. Looking at readers of tragic fiction, they found experiences reminiscent of catharsis —those tear-jerking releases of emotion — were correlated with narrative engagement and empathy not purging or any such thing. Participants who strongly identified with characters reported greater insight into their own lives, hinting that catharsis might have more to do with understanding than cleansing. 

“Fiction simulates social experience,” they say, and “tragedy amplifies this effect.” This re-conceptualizes catharsis as a dynamic interplay of cognition and emotion, not a hydraulic fit of release, and it updates Freud’s early conception. 

The Cultural Lens: Catharsis in Context 

The efficacy of catharsis is also culturally determined. But research suggests that communal tragedy — consider an episode of public mourning following a disaster — “can provide an opportunity for shared emotional release,” he said. Citing the Indian equivalent of Aristotle’s Poetics, Natyashastra, which frames drama as emulating rasa (aesthetic emotion), it is suggested that the tragedy above and beyond individual catharsis evokes a common one, tying communities together in shared tragicism. It’s reminiscent of the study in Italy on COVID-19, where watching tragedies averaged was a universal way of coping through the lockdown. 

But not every culture welcomes tragedy as a path to healing. Western psychology, for whom the individual is primary, treats catharsis like a technical fix, while Eastern practices tend to value detachment over emotional immersion. Li and Chen in a 2025 cross-cultural analysis found that, in contrast to participants from individualistic societies, those from collectivist societies found less cathartic benefit from tragic narratives and preferred resolution-oriented stories. This implies that catharsis’s psychological effects may reflect social preferences for emotional expression as opposed to restraint. 

The Dark Side: When Catharsis Fails 

Critics say tragedies can wound rather than purify. It was discovered that for those highly sensitized emotionally, tragic stories produced to rumination, rather than relief. Participants who’d watched a tearjerker reported lingering sadness — not purification, challenging the universality of catharsis. Likewise, the evidence points to intense emotional release (in therapy or art) having a destabilizing effect on weak psyches, if not followed by support. 

Revisiting the Psyche: A Balanced View

So do tragedies purify the psyche? So the answer, at least as of another day, is not a hearty yes or solid no. Studies from 2020–2025 indicate that catharsis is real but conditional. It thrives when stories inspire empathy and understanding, not just an emotional release. Lockdown fatigue is a collective experience; collective crises tend to magnify some identifying characteristics of contextualization, though individual traits can erode others. The hydraulic model — or venting to relieve pressure — has little support from Anderson et al. (2023) which disproves its effectiveness in aggression reduction. 

Aristotle’s grip holds, though: tragedies can be stirring, and in that stirring is the potential for growth. But the scrubbing is not automatic or universal. It’s an interplay of feeling and significance, not a mere purging of the spirit. As psychology continues to explore this millennia-old theory, one thing is clear: The power of tragedy comes not from never having before put ourselves through this millennia-old ringer, but in forcing us to endure it — sometimes feeling lighter by the end and, sometimes, heavier. But always more human. 

FAQs 

1. Does watching a sad movie really help you feel better? 

A: It depends. Catharsis seems to work best when it sparks insight or empathy, not just tears. 

2. Can tragedies reduce anger or aggression, like a emotional release valve?

A: The old idea of “venting” to cleanse anger doesn’t hold up; it’s more likely to keep you stirred up unless you process the emotions meaningfully. 

3. Why do some people feel cleansed after a tragedy while others don’t?

A: Individual differences and context play a big role. 

4. Is catharsis just about letting out emotions, or is there more to it?

A: It’s more than a simple outburst. True catharsis involves completing interrupted self-expression and gaining understanding, not just dumping feelings.