From fear to punishment: experimental evidence on how point-of-view in short-form crime video shapes punitive attitudes

Abstract Objective This study examines how point-of-view (POV) in short-form crime media shapes punitive attitudes and whether this relationship depends on viewers’ emotional responses during exposure. Methods Data come from a randomized laboratory experiment ( N = 60) in which participants viewed crime videos varying in POV (first-, second-, and third-person). Expressed fear was measured in real time using automated facial expression analysis, and punitive attitudes were assessed as an ordinal measure of preferred punishment. Ordinal logistic regression models estimated the independent and interactive effects of POV and fear. Results Second-person POV increased support for more severe punishment. Expressed fear moderated this relationship: under first- and third-person conditions, higher fear was associated with greater punitiveness, whereas under second-person POV, higher fear was associated with reduced support for the most extreme sanction. Conclusions Emotional responses shape punitive attitudes in a context-dependent manner conditioned by media presentation. Further implications for research and policy are discussed.