While the formal production practices of the film industry are crucial to understanding movies, the significance of movies is not only related to how they are made but also how we, the viewers, respond to them. Situating the study of film within the context of film spectatorship acknowledges the engagement of film viewers and the cultural and social factors that help shape our responses to the movies. Watching movies is an active process that involves both private and public tastes. Our experience of a film exists at the intersection of our personal likes and dislikes and larger social and cultural contexts – for example, one might be predisposed to like a film because it features a favorite actor, has good prerelease buzz, and has garnered a handful of award nominations. The material factors of our identity (such as race, gender, and socioeconomic class) and our experiential histories (such as education, relationships, and travel experiences) work together to form both our personal tastes and larger group taste cultures.

Viewer tastes and experiences are activated by two psychological processes while watching a film: identification and cognition. Identification is when we emotionally engage with a character, place, or action in a movie. Cognition is the intellectual and social processes through which we understand, interpret, and reflect upon films.