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Creating and Maintaining Identification with Characters in Narrative Films: The Impact of Protagonist Motivations and Key Story Moments on Real-Time Audience Identification and Liking

Tchernev, John Martin
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6468-549X
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1429807335

Abstract Details

2015, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Communication.
Audience identification with a protagonist is perhaps the single most important determinant of audience engagement with a narrative. However, much is unknown about how or why some narratives are more effective than others at creating identification. The aim of the present research is to incorporate applied knowledge from the professional field of screenwriting and knowledge from research and theory in psychology and communication into an overarching framework for understanding audience identification. Particular emphasis is placed upon psychological theories of motivation, character liking, and screenwriting guidelines regarding character motivation and story structure, as predictors of dynamic fluctuations in audience identification. Three films were randomly selected from a list of U.S. releases in recent years. Three professional screenwriters coded the films and identified key moments in the first 40 minutes of each film that were of particular importance in screenplay structure and for establishing character motivation and liking. N = 308 participants were randomly assigned to view the first 40 minutes of a film and provide real-time ratings of feelings of either liking or identification. Results indicated that certain key moments do indeed have a major impact on shaping identification and liking in real time.
Michael Slater, Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair)
Zheng Wang, Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair)
Emily Moyer-Guse, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
136 p.
Communication; Film Studies; Mass Communications; Mass Media
narrative persuasion; identification; character liking; VAR; protagonist motivations; narrative films; dynamic analysis

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Tchernev, J. M. (2015). Creating and Maintaining Identification with Characters in Narrative Films: The Impact of Protagonist Motivations and Key Story Moments on Real-Time Audience Identification and Liking [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1429807335

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Tchernev, John. Creating and Maintaining Identification with Characters in Narrative Films: The Impact of Protagonist Motivations and Key Story Moments on Real-Time Audience Identification and Liking. 2015. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1429807335.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Tchernev, John. "Creating and Maintaining Identification with Characters in Narrative Films: The Impact of Protagonist Motivations and Key Story Moments on Real-Time Audience Identification and Liking." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1429807335

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1429807335
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© 2015, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.