Psychology and Writing
In my early years as a writer, I would try to force my characters to either work together, have conflict, or even be in relationships that would never work. This can lead to very uninteresting stories that lack the believability that engages the audience. Psychology helps in writing by giving the writer tools to make dynamic, believable flawed characters that the audience can relate to. This allows me to understand and better create more 3 dimensional characters.
Character Creation
So how does psychology apply in Character Creation. Well this does not apply to one-note characters; this is applicable to characters that grow and develop and have more depth. Most of the best characters in creative media have a relatable flaw that makes them more human. It can range from the 7 deadly sins to personality quirks that show they aren't perfect. The reason to have flaws when creating these characters, is to avoid making Mary Sue characters types. These character types are despised by the audience because they have no flaws and therefore no conflict can overcome them, making them not relatable or interesting because they will not fail.
So how does psychology work in Hero/Villain interactions?
Hero and Villain
A prime example of amazing memorable hero and villain interaction would be Batman and the Joker. Part of the reason is because of how their ideals clash. Batman is a character who stands for order and justice, and his flaws and virtues are best highlighted by having his opposite thrown at him. The joker is great as a villain because he doesn't need rational human thought for why he commits crimes. He is chaos personified. This makes him a perfect foil for Batman. Their ideals rub up against the other and at times cause the other to question their own code of conduct. This is one of the main reasons that Batman and the Joker are so engaging to watch when they fight. Their psychology are polar opposites and cause conflict that is a thrill to watch.
Just like the hero and villain interactions, the same is true for romantic relationships in writing.
Romantic Relationships
Romantic relationships involve a lot of psychology of 2 people and why they both wanted to be more intimate or how they show intimacy. To avoid expressionless deadpan shipping, one can use psychological uses to better engage the two characters. The most common way people fall for another is that it starts with inspiring the other with who they are and their virtues, and let it grow from there. The two characters can have opposite psychological chemistry with each other that makes them dynamic and interesting to watch when they interact. They can play off the other because they know the other's weakness, a strengths.
