Psychological account for how visual fiction affects viewers. Covers cognition, empathy, simulation, dreams, consciousness, and indentification. Also looks at different genres, such as melodramas, comedies, and thrillers to see how each affects people differently.

A book about a relatively scientific study on the impact violence in movies has on society. Describes what exactly it feels like to experience a violent scene in a movie and how viewers relate to the characters. Then covers the topics of self-censorship and the morality question.