Becoming a Vampire Without Being Bitten: Reading Expands Our Self-Concepts, Study Sho

[kennyc]

Becoming a Vampire Without Being Bitten: Reading Expands Our Self-Concepts, Study Shows

ScienceDaily (Apr. 22, 2011) — "We read to know we are not alone," wrote C.S. Lewis. But how do books make us feel we are not alone?

"Obviously, you can't hold a book's hand, and a book isn't going to dry your tears when you're sad," says University at Buffalo, SUNY psychologist Shira Gabriel. Yet we feel human connection, without real relationships, through reading. "Something else important must be happening."

rest here:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0424152522.htm


From the APS Source: http://www.psychologicalscience.org/...-concepts.html

[Giggleton]

Something we've known for awhile, I'm not sure if there will ever be enough data to verify this sort of thing, in fact I believe it is almost impossible to verify anything.

But everything you experience affects you in ways that are unknown, even reading posts such as this one? And others about the end of copyright for instance, maybe making you identify with pirates?

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Becoming a Vampire Without Being Bitten: Reading Expands Our Self-Concepts, Study Shows

ScienceDaily (Apr. 22, 2011) — "We read to know we are not alone," wrote C.S. Lewis. But how do books make us feel we are not alone?

One of my favorite quotes from Lewis! As for the article, I wonder how much of this same phenomenon can be attributed to mob-mentality as well. This part in particular caught my attention:

As predicted, on both measures, Harry Potter readers "became" wizards and the Twilight readers "became" vampires. In addition, participants who were more group-oriented in life showed the largest assimilation effects. Finally, "belonging" to these fictional communities delivered the same mood and life satisfaction people get from affiliation with real-life groups.

That seems a little counter-intuitive to me. It seems to discount those people who prefer fictional people in literature over real ones and don't seek belonging with actual people of any group. I wonder if the same sort of responses would be garnered from them. Would they identify with fictional groups even though they don't, and in fact often avoid, groups in life?

Very interesting article Kenny!

[DixieGal]

What does this imply with regard to books portraying violence or sexual predation? That immediately disturbed me when reading the article.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by DixieGal

What does this imply with regard to books portraying violence or sexual predation? That immediately disturbed me when reading the article.

Well yes! That ol' two-sided coin eh?

[Barty]

I read to know I'm not alone. And to get away from other people!

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by DixieGal

What does this imply with regard to books portraying violence or sexual predation? That immediately disturbed me when reading the article.

I would imagine that the reader would identify first with a character that resonates with them, while also getting deeper into the perspective of those they don't.

The examples given in the article are full of characters that have a combination of qualities we can relate to (shyness, being "different" or an outcast, family drama, and so on) and qualities we can't (magical abilities, paranormal qualities). In other words, characters we might imagine ourselves being if we were in the story world.

In more realistic dramatic fiction, we find more of the "uncomfortable" characters, but it's rare that we can't relate to any of them, whether it be the victim, those related to the victim or, yes, even the offender. I think it's an important part of the human experience to examine not only who we are, but who we might have been had things been different somewhere along the way.

Not everyone agrees with me. I have an acquaintance who gets absolutely irate whenever a bad guy is portrayed in what she feels is a sympathetic way, such as back story showing a horrific childhood, moments of regret, that sort of thing. She simply refuses to see them as human, possibly out of fear that she may see something, even one tiny thing, that she can relate to. I can't get her to discuss it enough to be sure.

I'm not afraid of seeing something in a human monster that I can relate to. I don't see it as a sign of some latent evil within me, but rather a sign that I managed to turn out okay despite the similarities.

As for the study, had they chosen books such as those you mention, I imagine the results would be quite different when the questions were asked. There's a huge difference between imagining that one is a tragic, romantic vampire character or a teen wizard flying through the air in a fantasy world, and imagining that one does horrific things to people in a realistic world. However, I do think it's important to place yourself there, just for a moment, if only to feel the shudder of revulsion that reassures you that you're not like that.

(I'm rambling this morning. Should I go up and add a tl;dr?)

[Nyssa]

What an excellent post, CWatkinsNash!!

I think the show, Dexter, is an excellent example of a sympathetic bad guy. I have only watched the first 2 seasons (out of 5), but in that time you learn all about his back ground and how he came to be what he is today. Your friend would probably hate him & the show.

Dexter:

Spoiler:

Dexter Morgan, Miami Metro Police Department blood spatter analyst, leads a double life. When he's not helping the homicide division solve murders, he satisfies his dark desires by hunting and killing bad guys who slip through the justice system.

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

What an excellent post, CWatkinsNash!!

I think the show, Dexter, is an excellent example of a sympathetic bad guy. I have only watched the first 2 seasons (out of 5), but in that time you learn all about his back ground and how he came to be what he is today. Your friend would probably hate him & the show.

Thanks Nyssa! Dexter is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. There's no way she'd ever watch that show. The one she railed on about, though, was Human Target with Mark Valley. The main character is a former hitman who now helps people by going after the bad guys.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by CWatkinsNash

Thanks Nyssa! Dexter is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. There's no way she'd ever watch that show. The one she railed on about, though, was Human Target with Mark Valley. The main character is a former hitman who now helps people by going after the bad guys.

She hates Chase!?! Really? Despite his hit-man past, I've never actually seen him as a "bad guy", odd. but true. I would agree, however, that Dexter is a bad guy, even if his victims are all criminals.

I love Human Target, which is regrettably on the bubble, ratings wise, and may not be renewed. Let's hope it is saved.

As for Dexter, the first 4 seasons are available on Netflix, but only the first 2 are Instant watch, the other two are disc only, and we've just been too lazy to get it that way.

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

She hates Chase!?! Really? Despite his hit-man past, I've never actually seen him as a "bad guy", odd. but true. I would agree, however, that Dexter is a bad guy, even if his victims are all criminals.

Yeah, she hates Chase because hitmen are "serial killers that commercialize". But then she's never actually watched the show, so there you go. As for Dexter, she doesn't have cable and only watches sitcoms on primetime network TV. She either doesn't know much about Dexter or she just can't go there.

I heart Chase. I've liked Mark Valley since Boston Legal. And I love "emotionally-tortured bad guys turn good". I think redemption is an important theme in fiction. I think most of us can relate to that on some level, being a killer is not required to relate to that.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by CWatkinsNash

Yeah, she hates Chase because hitmen are "serial killers that commercialize". But then she's never actually watched the show, so there you go. As for Dexter, she doesn't have cable and only watches sitcoms on primetime network TV. She either doesn't know much about Dexter or she just can't go there.

I heart Chase. I've liked Mark Valley since Boston Legal. And I love "emotionally-tortured bad guys turn good". I think redemption is an important theme in fiction. I think most of us can relate to that on some level, being a killer is not required to relate to that.

Oof. I really take issue with people who rail against (or rally for) things they know nothing about; but that's another topic of conversation.

I agree with your statement on redemption.

[jgaiser]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

What an excellent post, CWatkinsNash!!

I think the show, Dexter, is an excellent example of a sympathetic bad guy. I have only watched the first 2 seasons (out of 5), but in that time you learn all about his back ground and how he came to be what he is today. Your friend would probably hate him & the show.

Since I live deep in the country with neither cable or access to broadband, I've not seen either of the Dexter programs or Human Target (could be that's the reason I read as much as I do ), but Lois McMaster Bujold has a character in her Vorkosigan Saga books that is definitely a sympathetic bad guy. Konstantin Bothari, bodyguard and companion to Miles Vorkosigan.

Quoting from Wikipedia:

Bothari's personality is variously described as fragmented, insane, or chameleon-like. While a child, his mother repeatedly sold him to customers until he was old enough and large enough to fight back. His deep psychological scars and trauma can surface with the right stimulus, converting him from a cool-headed warrior to a sexual psychopath in an instant.

Sounds pretty terrible, but as I read the series I couldn't help but feel sympathy and some kind of understanding for the man. He's actually a decent, caring, honorable and deeply damaged man.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by Giggleton

Something we've known for awhile, I'm not sure if there will ever be enough data to verify this sort of thing, in fact I believe it is almost impossible to verify anything.

But everything you experience affects you in ways that are unknown, even reading posts such as this one? And others about the end of copyright for instance, maybe making you identify with pirates?

Please stay on topic. This is not a thread about copyright concerns.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by jgaiser

Since I live deep in the country with neither cable or access to broadband, I've not seen either of the Dexter programs or Human Target (could be that's the reason I read as much as I do ), but Lois McMaster Bujold has a character in her Vorkosigan Saga books that is definitely a sympathetic bad guy. Konstantin Bothari, bodyguard and companion to Miles Vorkosigan.

Quoting from Wikipedia:


Sounds pretty terrible, but as I read the series I couldn't help but feel sympathy and some kind of understanding for the man. He's actually a decent, caring, honorable and deeply damaged man.

The Vorkosigan Saga is patiently sitting on my TBR list. I'm probably going to have to choose between reading it vs rereading the Honor Harrington series.

So many books, and tv shows, but so little time.