Introduction:
Since I didn’t know how to start my blog series, I picked a topic I am interested in and summarized what has already been researched about it. As a foundation for this blog post, I primarily refer to the article “Rooting for the Bad Guy: Psychological Perspectives” by Richard Keen, Monica L. McCoy, and Elizabeth Powell, which explores why audiences are often drawn to villains and anti-heroes in film and television.
As a reason why I am even interested in this kind of topic, I want to tell you that I am a somewhat huge Attack on Titan fan, and if you have ever seen it, you might have asked yourself the same questions I did when I first finished binge-watching the whole show: “Was the protagonist actually the hero of the story, or was I manipulated into believing he was?” and “I think I understand his motives, but can I really justify his actions?”
With this in mind, I wanted to explore what makes audiences root for bad characters, even when their actions seem indefensible.
What Keen, McCoy, and Powell came up with:
Richard Keen, Monica L. McCoy, and Elizabeth Powell explain the phenomenon of audiences sympathizing with “bad guys” by defining eight narrative and psychological factors that contribute to the humanization of these characters. To provide an overview of their research, I will briefly summarize the main explanations they propose.
- Fundamental Attribution Error
The fundamental attribution error refers to the human tendency to explain others’ negative behavior as a result of their character or morality, while attributing one’s own negative actions to situational circumstances. For example, when we see a stranger act violently, we might regard them as inherently evil, but if we behaved the same way, we might justify it as self-defense.
Two additional factors influence how strongly this bias appears.
The first is identification. The more insight we gain into a character’s perspective, the more likely we are to understand or excuse their behavior.
The second is time delay. Immediately after observing an event, people tend to make quick judgments (the fundamental attribution error). However, over time, as they reflect more carefully, they begin to integrate situational explanations and may grow more understanding of the person’s behavior. - Mere Exposure Effect
The mere exposure effect is a rather simple one. The more often you are exposed to a stimulus, the more you like it, regardless of its initial appeal. Applied to fiction, this means the more time audiences spend with a villain, the more they tend to like them. - What is Beautiful is Good
The phenomenon “what is beautiful is good” describes the human tendency to link positive traits to physical attractiveness. This bias influences audiences’ perceptions of fictional characters. Some movies such as The Godfather or Ocean’s Eleven use this bias to make villains seem more appealing despite their immorality. Research also suggests that this effect is stronger with colorful, vivid imagery. Moreover, the traits associated with attractiveness like social skill, confidence, and intellect align perfectly with characteristics that make a villain charismatic and fascinating. - Schemas
Schemas are mental frameworks formed through experience that help us organize and interpret information. Once established, schemas shape our perception and expectations. When it comes to storytelling, schemas explain why viewers instinctively root for protagonists because traditional media often casts the protagonist as the good guy. In films like The Godfather, this leads audiences to root for Michael Corleone, despite his immoral behavior, simply because he fills the “hero role.” - Aggressive Tendencies
Aggressive villains appeal to the audience because they trigger deep psychological drives. Due to this topic being relatively complex and broad, I tried to summarize the main theories as clearly as possible.
Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory says that people have natural sexual and aggressive urges. Watching violent or sexual scenes lets us safely release these instincts through fiction.
Lorenz’s Evolutionary Theory says that aggression once helped humans protect resources and attract mates, which mainly refers to men, which explains their stronger attraction to violent, action-packed films.
Bandura’s Social Learning Theory discusses that people learn aggression by watching others. Those drawn to violent media may become more aggressive, reinforcing their interest in it.
On a personal note, I don’t think these theories are entirely accurate today, but I might explore and discuss them further in another blog post.
- Revenge
Revenge is a common trope for popular villains and antiheroes. It can be either personal or altruistic. Research in neuroscience shows that revenge activates the brain’s reward center, making it feel satisfying, even at a cost. Especially men tend to find revenge more satisfying than women, showing stronger brain activity and less empathy toward the transgressor. This factor explains why audiences often sympathize with characters seeking vengeance and see their actions as justified. - Bad Boy / Nice Guy
The “bad boy” effect may explain why audiences are captivated by charming villains. Psychological studies show that women prefer niceness in long-term partners but often value attractiveness and confidence in more short-term or sexual relationships. Most attractive “bad guys” on screen are not real prospects for long-term love but fantasy figures of charisma, danger, and sex appeal. In fiction, traits that are often linked to bad boys such as boldness and unpredictability make the villains far more interesting and enticing. - Psychological Reactance
Psychological Reactance describes how people desire something more when it’s forbidden or restricted. When people are told not to want or root for something, they experience a motivational push to do exactly that. Applied to fiction, the “forbidden” nature of villains enhances their appeal. Because we are taught by society to root for heroes and not their counterpart, a psychological reactance is triggered, and the bad guy’s rebellion becomes even more attractive. The act of liking the villain becomes an emotional thrill because we are rooting for the “wrong” side.
Literature:
- Keen, Richard, Monica L. McCoy, and Elizabeth Powell. “Rooting for the bad guy: Psychological perspectives.” Studies in Popular Culture 34.2 (2012): 129-148.
Disclaimer: This text was proofread for punctuation, grammar, and spelling errors with the help of Perplexity. The content of the text remains unaffected.