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Super Psychology- The Attraction of the Superhero

Posted by Helping Psychology in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX on Nov 02, 2008

Superheroes magnetize their audiences with superhuman feats that thrill and often, chill. The psychology of the superhero is traced to the most fundamental element of human behavior: good and bad. Beyond that, superhero psychology has its roots in the most primitive environments where a single brave male steps outside the ordinary and exhibits extraordinary leadership skills and commands. Legends are built upon such leadership.

In primitive cultures, the superhero leader was nearly always the male who engaged in a battle with adversaries, exhibited extraordinary military logistics resulting in successful conquests. Those he captured were usually enslaved for life and in the process lost their originating culture. Primitively speaking, bad was good and good was bad. Consider among the superheros of the past: Ghengis Khan, Hannibal, Attila the Hun, Napolean, among a few. The realities of their lack of civilized behavior altered nothing in terms of the view that they were men of extraordinary power. Even in Biblical times, Goliath, the gargantuan slain by David, was believed to possess super-strength. One of the best examples of team superheroism is the classic story of the "Three Musketeers". "All for One and One for All" was the overriding theme that embellished their heroism to enormous heights of popularity, even to admirers emulating the style and flamboyance of this triple threat to their darkhearted enemies.

The natural emanation of these figures into comic book superheroes embellishes super-strength and other super-powers and are equally shared by both villain and hero in order to create a more credible contrast and to build conflict between good and evil. The proportion of these actions of superheroes directly affects readers and the general mass populations by exploiting the fundamental differences between good and evil. The more villanous the superhero, the more possible the vanquishing by his opponent. The more pure the goodness of the "good guy" superhero, the better the possibility of conflict and the expected result of "salvation".

The basis of conflict between good and evil becomes clearer when "salvation" exists as the desired end. Oddly, most avid fans of superheroes rarely notice this particular facet of the story line. Salvation from the jaws of a villainous superhero by the squeaky-clean Knight on a White Stallion is a recurring theme.

Due to the insipid lives most people perceive themselves to be living, the most basic hope of salvation from the evil that daily grinds away at peace and tranquility must be nurished. Ergo, the continuing need for superheroes who fire the imagination and fill the need for the most tenuous level of salvation.

Psychologically, humans need to be assured constantly that evil can be made right and that those who create the upheaval of such evil are superheroes in the midst of mendacity and mediocrity. The human spirit thirsts for a savior in order to feel some network to the divine. Superheroes become that element of divinity within reach of every human being. This is the reason many of today's superheroes are garbed in powerful colors in costumes that, while simple, are beyond the drabness of every day life.