If you want to improve at social skills read fiction. No, you did not read wrongly. If you want to improve at social skills read fiction. That’s the latest finding by cognitive scientists in Toronto.
Over the years, I’ve met Christians who tell me with an element of pride they never read fiction – not just Christian fiction but ANY fiction. The implication is that their time is far too valuable to waste on fiction and stories that to their minds are made-up and therefore not true.
I admit I’ve always found this is peculiar attitude and think they are missing so much, but now research has come out with startling claims. They claim ‘people who read a lot of fiction will have better social skills. Maybe they’ll be more empathetic, maybe they’ll understand what’s going on among people better,’ says Kevin Oatley Professor Emeritus of Cognitive Psychology at the University of Toronto in a recent interview with Ramona Koval.
Tests have shown those who read fiction have a better understanding of not only reading books but reading people and situations. Readers of fiction are far more able to empathise with others.
Kevin Oatley says studies among psychologists show ‘theory of mind’, which means ‘the ability to understand what another person might be thinking or feeling, is processed in the same sort of place and the same sort of way as our ability to process narrative. For further information about this consult New Scientist
The Science of Fiction – June 2008
Kevin Oatley is a writer and novelist. His ‘first novel ‘The Case of Emily V’ won the 1994 Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best First Novel.’
As Christians it is essential that we read God’s Word on a daily basis and allow Him to speak to us and teach us through it. But also, if we want to learn to relate to people better and improve our social skills we need to be reading fiction – lots of fiction.
Let’s share what we’re reading. What good novels have you read recently?
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a ring of endless light- Madeleine L’engle