WHEN GOOD CHARACTERS DO BAD THINGS: EXAMINING THE EFFECT OF MORAL AMBIGUITY ON ENJOYMENT
Open Access
- Author:
- Krakowiak, K. Maja
- Graduate Program:
- Mass Communications
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- June 27, 2008
- Committee Members:
- Mary Beth Oliver, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
S. Shyam Sundar, Committee Member
Matthew Mc Allister, Committee Member
Edgar Paul Yoder, Committee Member - Keywords:
- morally ambiguous characters
enjoyment
transportation
suspense
perceived realism
need for cognition
ambiguity tolerance - Abstract:
- Much research has examined responses to purely good and purely bad characters (i.e., characters that are either consistently good or consistently bad). However, some of the most beloved and compelling characters do not fall into either of these categories, because they do both good and bad things. Even though these morally ambiguous characters are prevalent in literature, television, and films, little is known about how individuals derive enjoyment from content featuring these types of characters. The present study empirically tests the effects of morally ambiguous, good, and bad characters on audience responses. Findings reveal that affective dispositions, perceived realism, transportation, suspense, need for cognition, and tolerance of ambiguity each influence overall enjoyment of entertainment content. Furthermore, the results indicate that different character types are appealing for different reasons. Specifically, good characters are enjoyed because they are well liked; bad characters are liked the least, but they are equally as transporting, suspenseful, and thus cognitively engaging as other characters. Morally ambiguous characters, on the other hand, are liked less than good characters, but they are nevertheless equally as transporting, suspenseful, cognitively engaging, and thereby enjoyable as good characters. This study thus provides a deeper understanding of the ways in which different character types affect enjoyment. The implications of these findings on various media effects theories are discussed.