How Reading Fiction Affects Us?

Year 2024, , 50 - 58, 06.01.2025

Feyruz Usluoglu

https://doi.org/10.71444/jobesam.1585497

Abstract

Recently, the relationship between reading fiction and understanding the mental states of others has become an important research interest. Several studies across psychology literature (relational and neuroimaging, functional magnetic resonance imaging, fMRI) support this relationship, while some experimental evidence suggests that exposure to fiction improves our ability to understand the mental states of others. Research indicates that this effect is particular to literary fiction. Due to this effect of fiction reading, it is suggested that it can be used not only to support healthy individuals' ability to understand others but also in clinical assessment and intervention processes. This review aims to discuss the relationships between reading fiction and understanding the mental states of others and to provide implication for clinician and researchers.

Keywords

reading fiction, mentalizing, social cognition, theory of mind

Kurgu Okumak Bizi Nasıl Etkiler?

Abstract

Son zamanlarda, kurgu okuma ile başkalarının zihinsel durumlarını anlama arasındaki ilişki önemli bir araştırma konusu haline gelmiştir. Psikoloji literatüründeki çeşitli çalışmalar (ilişkisel ve nörogörüntüleme, fonksiyonel manyetik rezonans görüntüleme, fMRI) bu ilişkiyi desteklerken, bazı deneysel kanıtlar kurguya maruz kalmanın başkalarının zihinsel durumlarını anlama yeteneğimizi geliştirdiğini göstermektedir. Araştırmalar bu etkinin edebi kurguya özgü olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Kurgu okumanın bu etkisi nedeniyle, sadece sağlıklı bireylerin diğerlerinim zihinsel durumlarını anlama becerisini desteklemek için değil, aynı zamanda klinik değerlendirme ve müdahale süreçlerinde de kullanılabileceği öne sürülmektedir. Bu derleme, kurgu okuma ve başkalarının zihinsel durumlarını anlama arasındaki ilişkileri tartışmayı ve klinisyen ve araştırmacılar için çıkarımlar sağlamayı amaçlamaktadır.

Keywords

kurgu okuma, zihinselleştirme, sosyal biliş, zihin teorisi

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