Conventions of a Psychological Thriller

• Central theme of identity, for example mistaken identity, stolen identity, lost identity (amnesia), dual identity and doppelgangers
• Perception - the narrative is often shown from the perspective of multiple characters
• Reality - there is often confusion between what is and isn't real, and commonly the character's idea of reality is different to that of the norm that is established in the film
• Memory - the torture of an individual by a traumatic even, and/or the search of a lost memory
• Stream of Consciousness - the viewer is encouraged to identify with a certain character's psyche
• Unreliable narrator - The person telling the story is often discovered to be untrustworthy, which unnerves the viewer
• Flashbacks, time reversal/fast forwarding, non-linear narrative editing
• Imagery - the eye is a regular visual motif within the psychological thriller genre