POSITIVE TRAIT THESAURUS

AFFECTIONATE



Never struggle with Show-and-Tell again. Activate your free trial or subscribe to view the Positive Trait Thesaurus in its entirety, or visit the Table of Contents to explore unlocked entries.

CHOOSE MY PLAN

HELPFUL TIP:

Characters with this positive attribute will be extra sensitive to certain emotions, so think about how events might specifically trigger feelings in a way that elevates or lowers their moods or causes moral dilemmas to form—whichever best fits your story goals. Try giving a supporting character a negative trait that acts as an opposite of this attribute, causing frustration, disillusionment, or even emotional volatility that leads to poor decisions and mistakes.
DEFINITION:
Showing open fondness for others

SIMILAR ATTRIBUTES:
Doting, loving, tender

POSSIBLE CAUSES:
Growing up in a loving home
Overcompensating for a lack of love in the past
Having affectionate role models
Neediness; a fear of being alone or abandoned
Having a romantic nature
Being highly empathetic
Having a desire to nurture

ASSOCIATED BEHAVIORS AND ATTITUDES:
Hugging, kissing and nuzzling
Holding hands
Wanting to hold and be held
Holding onto someone's arm to keep the person close
Stroking an arm or shoulder for physical reassurance
Giving compliments and praising others
Doing favors for others (small acts of kindness, etc.)
Writing poetry for a loved one
Offering small gifts or tokens
Being able to read the body language of others
Freely expressing one's feelings
Giving massages and foot rubs
Telling loved ones how special they are
Being supportive of loved ones in all their endeavors
Sitting and touching (legs touching, a hand on the other's leg, etc....

ASSOCIATED THOUGHTS:
...

ASSOCIATED EMOTIONS:
...

POSITIVE ASPECTS:
...

NEGATIVE ASPECTS:
...

EXAMPLE FROM LITERATURE:
...

CHALLENGING SCENARIOS FOR CHARACTERS WITH THIS TRAIT:
...

TRAITS IN SUPPORTING CHARACTERS THAT MAY CAUSE CONFLICT:
...