Literary Devices and Techniques in Psychological Thrillers

Stream of consciousness 

Is a literary technique in which an individuals point of view is produced as a written equivalent so we are able to see the individual's thought processes. In psychological thrillers, the narrative tries to manifest the characters psyche through word usage, descriptions, or visuals.

First-person narrative 

Is a literary technique in which the story is narrated by one or more of the characters. This technique is used to make the audience more involved with the characters themselves, and thus able to understand how the characters minds work.

Back-story 

Is the history behind the situation right at the start of the main story. This deepens the psychological aspect of the story since the reader is able to more fully understand the character; more specifically, what the charters motivations are and how his past has shaped his current cognitive perceptions.