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Melodrama and the Psychology of Tears

Melodramas are sometimes called "tearjerkers" because of their ability to make viewers cry, but there is currently no detailed account of how they succeed at this task. Psychological research suggests that crying occurs when people feel helpless in …

Interactivity, Performance, and Emotion

Audiences usually consider emotional responses to be the most important part of their experience of art, particularly popular arts. Emotional responses are largely based on the audience's observations of the artwork's formal elements; in the case of …

Helpless Spectators: Generating Suspense in Videogames and Film