Affective Disposition Theory

Affective disposition theory refers to a set of explanations for why and how an audience member enjoys various media entertainment narratives. In simple terms, the theory predicts that enjoyment increases when liked characters experience positive outcomes and/or when disliked characters experience negative ones. Conversely, enjoyment diminishes when liked characters experience negative outcomes and/or disliked characters experience positive ones. Thus, broadly speaking, the theory is composed of three psychological processes or components: the dispositions formed and held toward characters, emotional reactivity to the plights of those characters, and the viewer's hedonic response to the ultimate resolution of the narrative. Empathy and morality play primary roles in these processes and help to explain variance in emotional responses to and enjoyment of media entertainment across viewers.