What makes people cry and laugh and generally be emphatic (books & movies)

[tabiris]

Hello there!

So, I very much enjoy psychology, and I also like writing; so I decided i'll do a bit of research. What exactly is it that makes people be emphatic or cry when they read something? How to achieve such great emotional charge?

For instance, I have noticed that it can be achieved by killing one character of a pair that had a close relationship. That's kinda sad, but not really all that bad. However, if the dead character left a souvenir for the other one, like a gift of special signifigance, the great big emotinal charge sets in.

Also, i have noticed that people are generally more emphatic towards animals. So, say, if someone has a dog they love very much, and the dog dies, and the character reminscances about the dog, maybe the times he treated him badly and is sorry about it, folks will cry. The most wonderful example i can think of would be story of Ugly the Cat (will post it if anyone is interested)

So, i wonder, is there any literature on the subject? Any recommendations, comments, tips on how to achieve the emotinal response a writer is aiming for?

Thanks for any comments made, and best regards!

[Wonderland]

These affects are cause by a reaction from the unconscious. The unconscious psyche has access to your emotional strings and can pull on them even if you consciously regard what you are reading or viewing is nonsense. This is based upon a Jungian model of the unconscious. Conventional psychology is mainly concerned with the ego.