A Long-Standing and Much-Debated Mystery: The Psychology of Fiction
If you, in any way, have a connection to Robert College, you might have realized their general passion about books and series. From my observations, fiction books have been the most beloved ones so far. This begs the questions: What is it about fiction that drastically hooks us to the point where we spend indescribable amounts of our resources, money, and time on something we know is make-believe? Theories are flowing, of course. But not to worry, because through this article, I will be welcoming you to my side of the window, while further fleshing out the theories on the effect of fiction on us. Whether you would like to gain a more thorough insight into the workings of the mind or you would like to dazzle someone with your literary knowledge, this article is for you.
To me, reading is a special experience where you get to traverse the minds of others, exploring new worlds where you're not constrained to live the one and very life you have been given. Where you are not crumbled under your burdens or gratified with your accomplishments in real life, but instead gain others vicariously, merely through the pages of a book. Isn't that well worth it?
Well, it depends on what you are looking for. Some prefer getting a grasp of historical events or real-life occurrences through these pages, which are broadly known as non-fiction books. While, on the other hand, others would sooner get engrossed in make-believe worlds starring make-believe characters, which are universally known as fiction books. I call this said absorption triggered through a crafted world "The Potency of Fiction" theory. Why? Well, you should most probably be living in a cave to not one way or another encounter and somewhat get dragged into any piece of fiction. Think about the moments you found yourself getting overly sentimental or angry with a piece of fiction, like a movie, perhaps. Everyone has their picks. Mine? Definitely Passengers. For those of you who are curious, this fascinating film questions the moral compass when it comes to living without human companionship, and how even the most advanced systems can't replace human presence. So, definitely watch if you have a knack for time traveling and high stakes. Anyways, as I was saying, we have an abundance of theories in the context of the psychological effect of fiction. Here are the ones that are widely known and accepted, starting off with the Gossip Theory.
Through my research, this theory stood out to me. In Paul Bloom's book, How Pleasure Works, an acclaimed psychologist theorizes that fiction initially evolved from a liking for gossip. So, from his perspective, we as humans have come to favor a certain type of true story that has been technically adapted into different platforms for the people to watch, more or less like reality shows. Through the words of a beloved and a mastermind, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, the Gossip Theory says that fiction is just gossip about people who happen to be make-believe. It also happens to be the case that when it comes down to our brain's ability to draw a line between the real and make-believe, we are not successful most of the time, which further explains and supports Bloom's theory.
Another theory that caught my attention was what I call the 'Inference of Mind' theory. This theory is, in a way, similar to the theory of gossip. I presume we all know the feeling of irritation when we can't decipher what someone we closely know is thinking, trying as hard as we might. We might, though, every now and then confidently believe that we know what's crossing their minds. It will always be a conjecture, a theory. Therefore, even if that person seems to truly tell the truth, we will never be sure of its accuracy (I apologize in advance if future technology proves otherwise). But until then, all we have for greater certainty are books, where the minds of the characters get infiltrated by millions of readers. In the real world, you might infer a character as mighty and all by their standoffish disposition. But only when they turn around and have a meltdown that we get to see the vulnerability within them, which fiction generously provides. Because then we get to feel socially satisfied knowing what other characters don't, which is referred to as dramatic irony, where the reader knows more than the characters. For these reasons, the motivation behind this theory is quite similar to the gossip theory, as you can see, where curiosity is seen as the driving force of our actions.
The ultimate theory is a personal favorite of mine: "The Simulation" theory, as some call it. I infer this theory as a training ground for real-life situations. The idea here is that through fictional stories, we get to witness moral dilemmas, betrayals, and conflicts, and try to weave a mental way out of these social situations. Therefore, it is a way of practicing these skills without real-life consequences. Besides, whether we realize it or not, these stories are like "interim jobs". They are fleeting, coming and going back. Over the course of the story, however, our real-world reasoning is temporarily trumped by this divine power of fiction. This, thus, can indirectly affect our values and beliefs in the real world, one way or another.
This psychological effect of fiction has always genuinely fascinated me, how I could cry over the death of a make-believe character. Now, having put these theories into a hopefully comprehensible compilation, I feel lucky to relay a fraction of what's behind our minds' functioning when it comes to fiction.
