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Introducing the psychology of our relationships with fictional villains

The Open University via OpenLearn

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Details

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Provider

OpenLearn
Pricing

Free Certificate
Languages

English
Certificate

Certificate Available
Effort

12 hours
Sessions

Self-Paced
Level

Beginner

Found in

This free course explores psychological theory and research on the relationships we form with fictional characters. Throughout the course you will hear from leading crime writers – Lin Anderson, Gordon Brown, Val McDermid, Sir Ian Rankin and Craig Robertson – who will talk about how they create and write about their characters. The course involves interactive components designed to enable you to discover something about your own thinking and behaviour. You will learn about why fictional villains might be attractive to us, in a way that real villains are not. You will also learn about how the relationships we form with fictional characters can influence our psychological engagement with the real world around us.

Syllabus

Week 1: Fictional villains
Week 2: How literature affects us psychologically
Week 3: Relationships with fictional characters: para-social relationships
Week 4: ‘Treat ’em mean, keep ’em keen’: engagement with villains

Reviews

5.0 rating, based on 1 Class Central review

5 rating at OpenLearn based on 7 ratings

Start your review of Introducing the psychology of our relationships with fictional villains

Enrique Enriquez @EEnriquez
22

Having completed this course, the exploration of our psychological engagement with fictional villains proved both rigorous and captivating. The initial description was accurate, presenting a thoughtful examination of parasocial relationships, narrative transportation, and the concept of self-expansion through fiction. The promised certificate was received upon completion, and the estimated time commitment was precisely as stated. This study offers a nuanced understanding of empathy, attribution errors, and how identification with complex characters can temporarily alter one's self-concept.