Journal 4: Criminal Fan Behavior 

Choose one of the following options to analyze the  role of strain theory or social learning theory in explaining the  behavior of a stalker character in a film. Use the theory to explore how  psychological, emotional, and societal pressures contribute to the  character's obsession and violence.

Option A: Perfect Blue (1997)

Using strain theory, analyze the stalker's behavior and motivations in Perfect Blue.  Strain theory posits that societal pressures or the inability to  achieve desired goals can lead to frustration, which may result in  deviant behavior. In your analysis, consider the following questions:

• How do the stalker’s unmet psychological or emotional needs drive their obsession with the main character?
• How does the film portray the strain between the stalker's desires  and their inability to attain them? What specific aspects of their life  contribute to the strain that fuels their violent behavior?
• Reflect on the pressures of fame and the blurred boundaries between reality and media representation in Perfect Blue. How does this contribute to the stalker’s deviant actions?

Use specific examples from the film to illustrate how strain theory explains the stalker's descent into obsession and violence.

Option B: The Bodyguard (1992)

Apply strain theory or social learning theory to the stalker’s behavior in The Bodyguard.  These theories provide different lenses for understanding how societal  or psychological pressures shape deviant behavior. In your analysis,  consider the following:

• If using strain theory, discuss how the stalker’s  actions reflect underlying societal pressures or unmet psychological  needs. What strains or frustrations may be influencing their behavior?
• If using social learning theory, explain how the  stalker’s behavior may have been learned through the observation of  others. How does their environment or media consumption model violent or  obsessive behavior?
• How does the portrayal of the stalker's actions in the film  highlight the dangers associated with celebrity culture and the  pressures that both fans and celebrities face? Consider how the film  uses this narrative to reflect real-world issues of fan obsession and  celebrity vulnerability.

In your analysis, use specific scenes and character behaviors from  the film to demonstrate how the chosen theory explains the stalker’s  motivations and actions.