The Library of Congress > Linked Data Service > LC Genre/Form Terms (LCGFT)

Psychological fiction


  • Fiction in which the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of the characters are of equal or greater interest than the external action of the narrative.
  • URI(s)

  • Form

    • Psychological fiction
  • Broader Terms

  • Narrower Terms

  • Closely Matching Concepts from Other Schemes

  • Sources

    • found: Encyclopædia Britannica online academic edition, Nov. 5, 2012(psychological novel, work of fiction in which the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of the characters are of equal or greater interest than is the external action of the narrative; plot is subordinate to and dependent upon the probing delineation of character; events may not be presented in chronological order but rather as they occur in the character's thought associations, memories, fantasies, reveries, contemplations, and dreams)
    • found: Goodreads website, Feb. 18, 2014:Genres > Psychological Fiction (Psychological fiction is a work of prose fiction which places more than the usual amount of emphasis on interior characterization, and on the motives, circumstances, and internal action which springs from, and develops, external action. The psychological novel is not content to state what happens but goes on to explain the motivation of this action. In this type of writing character and characterization are more than usually important, and they often delve deeper into the mind of a character than novels of other genres.)
    • found: Random House Webster's unabridged dictionary, c1997(psychological novel, a novel that focuses on the complex mental and emotional lives of its characters and explores the various levels of mental activity)
    • found: Wikipedia, Feb. 18, 2014(psychological novel, also called psychological realism)
  • General Notes

    • Fiction in which the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of the characters are of equal or greater interest than the external action of the narrative.
  • Instance Of

  • Scheme Membership(s)

  • Collection Membership(s)

  • Change Notes

    • 2014-12-01: new
    • 2015-12-21: revised
  • Alternate Formats