Which of the following elements is most likely to help an audience feel sympathy for a victim in a psychological context?

• A. Presenting the victim as emotionally detached and unaffected
• B. Emphasizing the victim's responsibility for their own misfortune
• C. Portraying the victim's vulnerability and emotional suffering
• D. Focusing on the audience's personal achievements

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of sympathy in psychology, which involves feeling concern or compassion for someone else's suffering or misfortune.
2. Step 2: Recognize that sympathy is typically evoked when an individual is perceived as vulnerable or emotionally affected by their situation.
3. Step 3: Analyze each option to see which one aligns with eliciting sympathy: presenting emotional detachment or emphasizing responsibility usually reduces sympathy, while focusing on vulnerability increases it.
4. Step 4: Identify that portraying the victim's vulnerability and emotional suffering highlights their need for support and compassion, which is most likely to evoke sympathy from an audience.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the element most likely to help an audience feel sympathy is the one that emphasizes the victim's vulnerability and emotional suffering.