From Fear to Fondness: How Empathy for Flawed Foes on Screen Falters in the Real World for Teens and Young Adults

Author: Selina Chen

Field of Study: Arts and Humanities

Program Affiliation: Source Project Research Program

Faculty Mentors: Will Glovinsky

Easel: 22

Timeslot: Afternoon

Abstract: Damon Salvatore, Chuck Bass, Loki. Across much of today’s favorite teen and young adult television, viewers seem to favor villains or anti-heroes over typical protagonists. Paradoxically, unsavory characters offer a depth, inviting a great human curiosity and thereby empathy. Viewers often identify with villains in their darkness, whether intentionally or not. This research contextualizes this phenomenon within broader discussions of social media due to the encouragement of digital over face-to-face interactions. Over time, society has become desensitized to crises ranging from personal relationships to global matters with the rise of social media usage, which disconnects individuals from tangible consequences. Therefore, empathy has grown increasingly scarce among teens and young adults of this generation. Drawing from historical literature turned to film as well as contemporary shows, this project explores how extending empathy for fictional characters correlates with empirical data, suggesting a decrease in connection with real-world people, relationships, and pressing issues.