The Character Engagement and Moral Adjustment Model (CEMAM): A Synthesis of More than Six Decades of Research

Figures & data

Figure 1. The character engagement to moral adjustment model (CEMAM) depicts a semi-sequential process that encapsulates the subprocesses that lead to moral adjustment. The model begins with attention, through which certain characters receive greater and lesser attention of the viewer. The next three stages are not in any particularly serial ordering, but they involve appraisal and assessment of characters, as well as affiliational dynamics of the viewer with characters. The final stage is adjustment during which individuals alter or maintain their moral values.