How Does Fiction Reading Influence Empathy? An Experimental Investigation on the Role of Emotional Transportation

Bal, P. Matthijs; Veltkamp, Martijn

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0055341

Cited by 371 publications

(311 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…This so-called sleeper effect could also apply to other effects than persuasion, like empathy and reflection. In their study on reading and empathy, Bal and Veltkamp (2013) indeed found such a sleeper effect: the effects did not occur right after the reading but one week later. Yet, as said before, Bal and Veltkamp did not systematically compare different genres, so it still remains to be seen under which conditions the sleeper effect occurs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…Respondents in the literary condition did not show greater changes in self-reported affective empathy. Bal and Veltkamp (2013) did find that reading a fiction text (as opposed to a non-fiction newspaper article) caused an increase in respondents' self-reported affective empathy (measured again by Davis' IRI), but this effect only held for those participants who felt emotionally transported in the story (measured by the narrative engagement scale by Busselle/Bilandzic 2009).…”

Section: Effects: the Evidencementioning

confidence: 94%

“…However, while the above-mentioned studies tell us something about the effects of narrativity on empathy, they do not provide evidence for an effect of fictionality, as they did not exclusively pertain to fictionality. In the studies of Bal and Veltkamp (2013) and Kidd and Castano (2013), the texts the researchers compared differed on many more variables than just fictionality or literariness. While the Mar et al (2006; studies explicitly claimed to compare the effects of fiction with those of non-fiction, the difference between the authors listed in the ART could also be seen in terms of narrativity instead of fictionality.…”

Section: Processes: Explaining the Relation Between Reading And Empathymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of Literature on Empathy and Self-Reflection: A Theoretical-Empirical Framework

Koopman¹,

Hakemulder²

2015

Journal of Literary Theory

153

141

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Various scholars have made claims about literature's potential to evoke empathy and self-reflection, which would eventually lead to more pro-social behavior. But is it indeed the case that a seemingly idle pass-time activity like literary reading can do all that? And if so, how can we explain such an influence? Would the effects be particular to unique literary text qualities or to other aspects that literary texts share with other genres (e. g., narrativity)? Empirical research is necessary to answer these questions. This article presents an overview of empirical studies investigating the relationship between reading and empathy, and reading and selfreflection. We reveal those questions in the research that are not addressed as of yet, and synthesize the available approaches to literary effects. Based on theory as well as empirical work, a multi-factor model of literary reading is constructed.With regard to reading and empathy, the metaphor of the moral laboratory (cf. Hakemulder 2000) comes close to a concise summary of the research and theory. Being absorbed in a narrative can stimulate empathic imagination. Readers go along with the author/narrator in a (fictional) thought-experiment, imagining how it would be to be in the shoes of a particular character, with certain motives, under certain circumstances, meeting with certain events. That would explain why narrativity can result in a broadening of readers' consciousness, in particular so that it encompasses fellow human beings. Fictionality might stimulate readers to consider the narrative they read as a thought experiment, creating distance between them and the events, allowing them to experiment more freely with taking the position of a character different from themselves, also in moral respects. Literary features, like gaps and ambiguous characterization, may stimulate readers to make more mental inferences, thus training their theory of mind. However, apart from literature possibly being able to train basic cognitive ability, we have little indication for the importance of literary imagination over narrative or fictional imagination.Regarding self-reflection, while there is no convincing evidence that literary texts are generally more thought-provoking than non-literary texts (either narrative

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Section: Effects: the Evidencementioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Processes: Explaining the Relation Between Reading And Empathymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of Literature on Empathy and Self-Reflection: A Theoretical-Empirical Framework

Koopman¹,

Hakemulder²

2015

Journal of Literary Theory

153

141

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“…It has been suggested that Theory of Mind (Zunshine, 2006) and narrative empathy (Keen, 2013) are process components of reading literary fiction (e.g., Bal & Veltkamp, 2013;Kidd & Castano, 2013). Zunshine (2006) defined Theory of Mind as 'our ability to explain people's behavior in terms of their thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and desires' (p. 6).…”

Section: Reading Literary Fiction: Changes In Self and Social Perceptmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of literature education on students' perceptions of self and others: Exploring personal and social learning experiences in relation to teacher approach

Schrijvers¹,

Janssen²,

Fialho³

et al. 2016

L1 Educational Studies in Language and Literature

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The Dutch Institute for Curriculum Development argues that literature education is important for broadening students' personal, social and cultural horizons. Indeed, reading literary fiction may alter readers' self-and social perceptions, but little is known about whether adolescents gain such personal and social insights through reading in the secondary literature classroom, nor about how these perceived learning outcomes are related to their teachers' approaches to various aspects of literature teaching. Thus, the aims of this study were to examine the impact of literature education on students' self-and social perceptions and to explore relationships between students' learning experiences and their teachers' classroom practices. Dutch students (N=297, grades 10-12) wrote a learner report about what they learned about themselves and other people through literature education, and completed a measure on familiarity with fiction. Their teachers (N=13) completed the Teachers' Approaches to Literature Education Questionnaire (TALE-Q), which indicated more analytical-interpretative or personal-experiential approaches to three 2 M. SCHRIJVERS, T. JANSSEN, O. FIALHO & G. RIJLAARSDAM aspects of teaching. Students of teachers with distinct approaches to these aspects were grouped to compare their learning experiences. Findings showed that nearly all students (99%) reported to have learned something about themselves and others through literature education, mainly personal characterizations of oneself and others, learning about oneself and others as literary readers, descriptions and evaluations of people's behaviors, and lessons for life. In addition, teachers' reports of more classroom interaction and student autonomy were related to students' more frequent reports of personal and social insights, but this may also partly be explained by students being more familiar with fiction and having a more positive attitude toward literary reading. Implications for personal and social learning in the literature classroom are discussed.

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“…One should find mechanisms to incline well-known, recognizable publicists to realize programs devoted to reviewing books and movies, who would like to advocate such cultural products [78,79]. Scientific publications in the field of mental health services should discuss and propose examples of such literary and cinematographic products.…”

Section: Organization Of Changes In Education and Stimulation Of Cultmentioning

confidence: 99%

Populist Upheavals: What can we do?

Brodziak¹,

Różyk-Myrta²,

Wolińska³

2017

J Gerontol Geriatr Res

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How Does Fiction Reading Influence Empathy? An Experimental Investigation on the Role of Emotional Transportation

Cited by 371 publications

References 51 publications

Effects of Literature on Empathy and Self-Reflection: A Theoretical-Empirical Framework

Effects of Literature on Empathy and Self-Reflection: A Theoretical-Empirical Framework

The impact of literature education on students' perceptions of self and others: Exploring personal and social learning experiences in relation to teacher approach

Populist Upheavals: What can we do?

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