What Happens in Our Brain When We Read Literary Short Stories?

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 physical actions), perceptual simulation (re-enacting sensory experiences), and mental simulation (understanding characters’ inner worlds). But what are the neural substrates of these simulations? Do they follow distinct pathways, or do they converge in a specific brain region? Mak and colleagues' (2023) study sheds light on these questions.

Study overview

In this study, researchers recruited 40 participants aged 18–43 with normal vision and no history of dyslexia, brain surgery, or epilepsy. Participants read two short, descriptive stories inside an MRI scanner and equipped with an eye-tracking device to monitor their eye movements during reading. While still undergoing brain scanning, their subjective experiences of the stories were assessed using questionnaires measuring story world absorption and story appreciation. After the scan, their trait-level personal characteristics were evaluated through empathy and transportability questionnaires.

Findings

The study showed three distinct but overlapping neural pathways activated during narrative processing: motor simulation (premotor cortex and supplementary motor area), perceptual simulation (visual cortex and sensory regions), and mental simulation (temporoparietal junction and medial prefrontal cortex). These pathways converge in the supramarginal gyrus*, an important region for referential indexing (integrating references within a text), situation model building, and integration of sensory, emotional, and cognitive aspects of a story.

Eye movement analysis showed that motor descriptions were read faster, while perceptual and mental descriptions slowed reading due to more complex cognitive demands. Furthermore, trait-level factors like empathy and transportability had a stronger influence on brain activation than state-based factors like story absorption, emphasizing the role of personality in narrative simulation.

* The supramarginal gyrus functions as a hub where multiple brain networks intersect, including the default mode network (involved in self-perception and mind-wandering) and the mentalizing network (responsible for social cognition).

Disclaimer

This blog post is based on scientific research about the brain's response to reading fiction and is intended solely for public awareness.

For detailed information, please refer to the original article.

Mak, M., Faber, M., & Willems, R. M. (2023). Different kinds of simulation during literary reading: Insights from a combined fMRI and eye-tracking study. Cortex, 162, 115-135. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2023.01.014

Picture Credit.

Miss Auras, The Red Book by John Lavery

Does Language Affect Fiction Transportation?

We love reading fiction. It allows us to escape reality and become fully immersed in another world. While reading, we often lose track of time, mimic the emotions of the characters, focus intently on the story, and place ourselves in the characters' shoes. This deep engagement is known as "narrative transportation," where we feel as if we are spectators within the story.

This raises an interesting question: does the language we read in affect our level of transportation? Some of us read fiction in our native language, while others prefer to read in a second language. Do both groups experience the same level of being transported? Are they equally drawn into the story, or does the language (native vs. non-native) influence their experience? To answer these questions, Chung-Fat-Yim et al. (2019) conducted an experiment (Experiment 1).

Study overview

Chung-Fat-Yim et al. studied 143 adult participants, including 87 native English speakers and 56 non-native English speakers. Participants were randomly assigned to read one of two short stories provided by the researchers. The stories featured a student pursuing an academic goal, with one version ending in success and the other in failure.

After the reading sessions, participants completed a validated scale to rate their level of transportation. They answered questions on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from ‘Not at all’ to ‘Very much’. Sample questions included: “While reading the narrative, I could easily picture the events taking place,” “The narrative affected me emotionally,” and “I was mentally involved in the narrative while reading it.”

Findings

According to the data from the study, researchers suggest that both native and non-native readers experience the same level of transportation while reading fiction. In other words, regardless of whether one is a native or non-native speaker, it appears that narrative transportation can be achieved equally. They also discovered that years of English fluency did not strongly relate to narrative transportation, even after controlling for age.

Surprisingly, this effect held true across different modalities. Participants in both the native and non-native groups experienced similar levels of transportation when exposed to auditory stories (Experiment 2) or films (Experiment 3).

For detailed information, please refer to the original article.

Chung-Fat-Yim, A., Cilento, E., Piotrowska, E., & Mar, R. A. (2019). Are stories just as transporting when not in your native tongue? Language and Cognition, 11(2), 285-309. https://doi.org/10.1017/langcog.2019.15

Picture Credit.

"Girl reading book" by Fatima Karashaeva

The Sci-Fi effect: Boosting creativity in STEM fields

Every day, many of us immerse ourselves in fiction for enjoyment, whether through reading, watching, or listening to stories. Some of us even have a particular interest for specific genres like Science-Fiction (Sci-Fi). Sci-Fi is fascinating, sparking discussions about how enjoyable and beneficial it can be for audiences (check here for more). But with all this interest, there are still big questions hanging around: is there solid empirical evidence supporting the idea that exposure to Sci-Fi is indeed beneficial? And if there is, which ability could it affect? Does this impact hold true across all demographics?

To explore these questions empirically, I would direct your attention to the findings from a recent study by Veronica Marozzo and her colleagues (2024) from Italy. Their research promises illuminating insights.

Study overview

Marozzo and her colleagues conducted an experiment to determine whether exposure to a short Sci-Fi TV series could affect viewers' creativity. Their experiment specifically aimed to investigate how individual academic preferences, particularly a preference for STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), influenced the impact of exposure to a short Sci-Fi TV series on viewers' creativity. Furthermore, they investigated divergent thinking, which entails generating numerous novel ideas.

    To find the answers, Marozzo et al. (2024) recruited 204 university students who either had a STEM background or a non-STEM background (i.e., other disciplines). They were randomly assigned to one of two experimental conditions, in which they either watched a 45-minute Sci-Fi TV series or a 45-minute non-Sci-Fi TV series.

    In the Sci-Fi series condition, participants were presented with a TV series depicting humanity's colonization of the solar system in a distant future era set in deep space, delving into the socio-economic dynamics and conflicts among various factions. In the non-Sci-Fi condition, participants watched a TV series about the experiences of workers on a offshore oil platform after an explosion, focusing on their struggles and the risks they encounter.

    After watching, all participants were asked to complete a task. In this task, participants were presented with a problem of a social nature (i.e., the management of a waste process). After delivering the task, participants were asked to generate as many solutions and ideas as possible that could improve the problem (i.e., divergent thinking). Participants were also informed that the ideas and solutions should not already be present in their hometown.

    Thus, the researchers instructed the participants to generate ideas and solutions to the problem as an index of divergent creativity. In terms of scoring, researchers proposed four criteria: 1) originality (uncommon ideas compared to overall responses); 2) fluency (the number of relevant ideas); 3) flexibility (in how many fields responders provided ideas); 4) elaboration (the amount of detail for each idea). They calculated the mean of creativity.

The interaction of Sci-Fi and academic background

Regarding creativity and individuals' background, the results showed no significant impact of exposure to sci-fi. However, they found a significant interaction between Sci-Fi and individuals' backgrounds. Planned analysis showed that participants with a STEM background showed enhanced divergent creativity after watching a Sci-Fi TV series, while participants with a non-STEM background showed less creativity after watching a Sci-Fi TV series compared to a non-Sci-Fi TV series.

    Additionally, the study showed a short-term effect of Sci-Fi on divergent creativity, wherein exposure to a 45-minute Sci-Fi TV series could improve participants' divergent creativity. However, this effect is not consistent across all populations, as individuals with different disciplines showed less creativity.

    The reason behind these findings suggests that the Sci-Fi genre may enhance critical thinking in people with a STEM background because of their analytical and problem-solving thinking patterns, while it may not have the same effect on non-STEM individuals due to their preference for realistic and tangible scenarios.

    Overall, this study has shown that brief exposure to the Sci-Fi genre enhances creativity. However, the enhanced creativity was not consistent across all individuals, as participants with a STEM background benefited more from exposure to Sci-Fi, while participants with a non-STEM background may not find effective results.

For detailed information, please refer to the original article.

Marozzo, V., Crupi, A., Abbate, T., Cesaroni, F., & Corvello, V. (2024). The impact of watching science fiction on the creativity of individuals: The role of STEM background. Technovation, 132, 102994. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.technovation.2024.102994

Picture Credit.

"Unwanted Guest" by Alex Shuper

Learn more about the surprising link between Sci-Fi and creativity!

https://homofictusbulletin.blogspot.com/2024/02/sci-fi-enjoyment.html

Beyond Entertainment: The Power of Literary Fiction for Theory of Mind Development

For many of us, reading is an enjoyable pastime. Throughout the day, we engage in various genres, including both fiction and non-fiction. While some may prefer non-fiction, it is worth pausing to consider the value of fiction as well. Could fiction serve as a tool to cultivate skills transferable to our social interactions? The question have captivated researchers across disciplines, shedding light on the multifaceted nature of fiction and its profound effects. Noteworthy among these scholars are Emanuele Castano from the University of Trento, Italy, and David Comer Kidd from Harvard University, MA.

    In their groundbreaking work titled "Reading Literary Fiction Improves Theory of Mind," Castano and Kidd (2013) delve into the intricate relationship between fiction and theory of mind ability—a crucial social skill. Their investigation probes whether fiction can directly enhance theory of mind and whether this effect is influenced by the literary quality of the fiction. Crucially, they aim to establish causality between reading literary fiction and improved theory of mind.

Understanding Theory of Mind

Theory of mind is a vital social skill involving the ability to infer others’ inner worlds, including their beliefs and desires. With theory of mind, individuals can interact more effectively. It comprises two distinct aspects: cognitive theory of mind and affective theory of mind. Cognitive theory of mind entails understanding another person's mental state, while affective theory of mind involves empathizing with others' emotions, closely linked to empathy. It is hypothesized that readers engage in theory of mind practice while reading fiction, immersing themselves in the protagonist's role and dilemmas while temporarily setting aside their own concerns. Kidd and Castano’s study (2013) tested this hypothesis and explored the effects of a single session of literary fiction reading experience versus popular fiction reading experience.

Experimental Endeavors

To explore the causal link between reading literary fiction and heightened theory of mind ability, Kidd and Castano (2013) conducted a series of five experiments. Using various measurements to assess both cognitive theory of mind ability and affective theory of mind ability, they found profound effects of literary fiction on theory of mind ability. In online trials with adults, participants exposed to short literary fiction demonstrated heightened theory of mind abilities immediately after the reading session, surpassing those engaged in popular fiction, non-fiction reading, or no-reading condition.

    The findings of the study were thought-provoking. They suggest that: 1) reading literary fiction transcends mere entertainment, 2) literary fiction impacts specific abilities, such as theory of mind, crucial for social interactions, 3) literary fiction with complex characters influences readers' theory of mind ability, while popular fiction genres like romance may not have the same effects, and 4) these effects are direct.

For detailed information, please refer to the original article.

Kidd, D. C., & Castano, E. (2013). Reading literary fiction improves theory of mind. Science, 342(6156), 377-380. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1239918

Photo Credit.

"The Artist's Wife Reading" by Albert Bartholomé