Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

In this chapter, we review the myriad ways that people resolve mystery and uncertainty in social perception. People rely on perceptual, cognitive, and motivational resources at their disposal to acquire an understanding of mysterious persons, groups, and circumstances.  Perceptual forces at work in the mystery resolution process include principles of gestalt organization.  Cognitive processes that come into play include people’s use of impressions, prototypes, archetypes, and implicit theories of leadership, heroism, and villainy.  Moreover, we describe several key motivational forces that steer people toward desired conclusions about mystery. Implications for social behavior and perception are discussed.

In Game of Thrones, Daenerys Targaryen’s name contains almost all of her life: Daenerys of the House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, The Unburnt, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Queen of Meereen, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Protector of the Realm, Lady Regnant of the Seven Kingdoms, Breaker of Chains, and Mother of Dragons (Daenerys Targaryen, 2017). While the lengthiness of her name certainly speaks to her ability as a conqueror and ruler, it does not do her life story justice. Daenerys serves as a heroine to not only the fictional world which …

The purpose of this chapter is to describe the heroic life and transformation of a prominent television character Dexter Morgan, during seasons one through four of Dexter, a serial killer of killers. This chapter first reviews the hero’s journey as described by Joseph Campbell (1949).

The purpose of this chapter is to offer an analysis of Malala Yousafzai’s transformation, drawing from the literature of heroism science. In doing so, the chapter will explore elements of Malala’s heroic traits, calling, suffering, and journey, with an emphasis on how these elements transformed her mentally and emotionally. This chapter will also discuss the implications of being a hero as a woman. The chapter concludes with an analysis of Malala’s overall impact on women’s rights and the feminist movement.

This chapter seeks to examine the character Severus Snape and his heroism. I will go about this task by analyzing Snape’s life and legacy, and judging him through several lenses of heroism science. Most importantly, the goal of this discussion is to determine whether or not Snape is truly a “hero.” Whether you love him or hate him, Severus Snape is one of the most recognizable literary characters of the twenty-first century, and his morality and merits are still talked about by fans of the Harry Potter franchise. I will use traditional archetypes and theories of heroism science to determine …