Item Details

title

Exploring the Effects of Similarity in Basic Needs on Moral Judgment of Characters

author

Marple, Catherine A.

abstract

The leading theory of narrative enjoyment (affective disposition theory, or ADT) claims that moral judgment of a character (approving or disapproving of their motives and actions) is the key mechanism that explains enjoyment. However, sometimes we enjoy stories where characters violate our moral standards (e.g., Walter White in Breaking Bad). Identifying the mechanisms that allow us to approve of these morally ambiguous characters (MACs) in spite of their moral violations is thus a key goal in the ADT literature. Initial research suggests that similarity between a MAC and an audience member (e.g., belonging to the same demographic group) may increase moral approval of characters. However, little extant research has explored the effects of internal similarity on moral judgment of MACs (i.e., similarity in higher-order human qualities). According to basic psychological needs theory (BPNT), members of the human species share three basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness—although we are motivated by these needs to different degrees. Insofar as characters are realistic, they are also motivated by these three needs. Thus, basic needs are one internal quality that participants can share with characters. The present research explores the effects of similarity in basic needs on moral judgment of MACs in a posttest-only experiment with 157 participants. Findings indicate that similarity in basic needs does have a small effect on moral judgment of morally ambiguous characters as people, although it has no effect on judgment of a MAC’s behavior.

subject

affective disposition theory

basic psychological needs theory

identification

moral judgment

morally ambiguous characters

similarity

contributor

Krcmar, Marina (advisor)

Rogan, Randall (committee member)

Jayawickreme, Eranda (committee member)

date

2023-07-25T17:48:34Z (accessioned)

2023-07-25T17:48:34Z (available)

2023 (issued)

degree

Communication (discipline)

identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/102235 (uri)

language

en (iso)

publisher

Wake Forest University

type

Thesis