Imagine reading a compelling short story—now imagine being told it was written by AI. Would it feel the same? This question lies at the heart of two recent experiments investigating AI authorship and its impact on narrative transportation (Messingschlager & Appel, 2024), the psychological immersion readers experience while engaging with a story. Study overview As […]
Imagine reading a compelling short story—now imagine being told it was written by AI. Would it feel the same? This question lies at the heart of two recent experiments investigating AI authorship and its impact on narrative transportation (Messingschlager & Appel, 2024), the psychological immersion readers experience while engaging with
Reading fiction is filled with encounters with emotions. However, emotions in fiction may not be communicated in the same way across different types of fiction, particularly literary and popular fiction. Castano (2024) argues that the presence of emotions differs between literary and popular fiction. Overview Literary fiction conveys emotions in
In an era where digital distractions are often blamed for declining reading habits, a recent qualitative case study offers new insights into how adolescents engage with fiction both in print and digitally (Loh, 2024). This study reveals that young readers are highly motivated by immersive fiction and seamless access to
Reading books is an enjoyable activity, yet many people, particularly adolescents, choose not to engage in it. Have you ever wondered what drives some to pick up a book while others avoid it? A study by Wilkinson et al. (2020) explored this question, focusing on why 15- and 16-year-olds opt
Have you ever wondered what happens in your brain when you lose yourself in a gripping short story? Research shows that reading fiction isn’t just a passive activity—it’s an immersive experience that engages multiple brain regions. When we read, we simulate the story in three distinct ways: motor simulation (imagining
You’ve likely heard the common belief that reading fiction is beneficial, while watching TV series is often dismissed as unproductive. But what about fictional TV series? Could they have a positive impact on empathy and theory of mind compared to non-fictional documentaries? Researchers Lenhart and Richter (2024) explored this question