Books are a powerful source of knowledge that gives the reader the opportunity to create long-lasting change in life. However, not all people share this passion for knowledge but for fantasy and entertainment. This often leads people to think that fiction readers are “wasting their time by reading something of no value”. They couldn’t be further from the truth and I will show why. Here are the benefits of reading fiction.
1. Reading Fiction improves Empathy
Empathy is divided into affective and Cognitive empathy according to John Stansfield and Louise Bunce’s research. Cognitive Empathy is the ability to understand the world from another peoples perspective. Affective empathy is the capacity to understand people’s feelings. The results concluded that fiction readers are more likely to have highly developed faculties in cognitive empathy. Researchers found that affective empathy will increase the more immersed you were in the story. All of this is possible because in fiction we get to know and experience the thoughts of the characters and to see the world through their eyes.
2. Fiction increases Theory of Mind
Theory of Mind is the ability to identify and understand other’s mental states. It is crucial because it helps maintain and build our interpersonal skills. This ability usually works in conjunction with empathy. In Comer and Castano’s article, a possible reason is that we must conclude to infer how the characters feel and think. In another research, it states that fiction helps readers build social knowledge by exposing social rules and conditions in the story.
3. Fiction Improves Social skills
Having social skills is a huge flex, and a meta-analysis confirmed that reading fiction improved social acuity better than nonfiction. Theories regarding this include that people who read fiction practice and strengthen their social skills through simulation. Another theory is that reading provides knowledge about human interaction. Combined with the above statement it will open the doors to greater experiences.
4. Fiction improves brain connectivity
In this study, researchers found that reading the novel “Pompeii” causes greater connectivity. These areas were related to language comprehension, sensory information, and motor region. Reading a novel may put you in the shoes of the main character and your mind automatically prepares for his actions. This is similar to how an athlete visualizes their actions and their muscles tenses.
5. Reading reduces stress
Another benefit of reading fiction or any genre is reduced stress. It was revealed that reading lowered stress levels better than listening to music and walking. This can be possible by how immersed the reader can become in the story. In another scientific article, reading intervals reduce the stress levels of physical therapy students in only 30 minutes. Next time you are feeling stressed out grab your nearest book and enjoy it.
Conclusion
Well guys, in conclusion, reading fiction is not by any means a waste of time. the benefits of reading fiction are as important as any other genre and its ability to promote empathy, theory of mind, and social skills are of great importance to people. Especially those who struggle to see other’s perspective, and maintaining interpersonal relationships. Not only will you be a better person but it will help you see the world through other people’s perspectives. This will expand your knowledge and grant you more experiences in life. Reading fiction or any kind of genre will provide a healthy and helpful activity to reduce stress. So if the pandemic has challenged you this is a great opportunity to read and enjoy a great book.
Thank you all for your time and presence. I hope to see you again and above all things I hope you have a successful day!!!!
