Quote:
Originally Posted by WT Sharpe
Here's an interesting tidbit from the November/December 2011 issue of Scientific American Mind:
Reading fiction can strengthen your social ties and even change your personality by Keith Oatley.
Oatley claims that contrary to popular belief, reading fiction can actually make you more sociable, improve your people-skills, and even alter your personality. It seems that fiction readers are even better than average on reading people's emotions from just looking at photographs of their eyes.
Hey—we're the "in" crowd!  |
While "fine-tuning" of my social skills seems like an exaggeration, I think there is no question that I am more considerate or empathic of others from reading fiction. More than once, I have recognized traits or behaviours in people that were reminiscent of characters and I did not just chew their ankles as I would normally.