Mirroring Fictional Others
Year: 2011
Type: book-chapter
Abstract: The way in which we connect with purely fictional characters can be a deep and enduring experience. Here we take recent evidence from neuroscience to explore the possible mechanisms underlying our ability to empathise with fictional others. Specifically, a network of complex neural mechanisms, known as the mirror neuron system, has been shown to underlie our ability for empathy. Here we argue that the same mirror neuron mechanisms also enables our empathic relationship towards fictional characters. First, we discuss recent empirical evidence from the mirror neuron literature that support our claim. Next, we take several salient excerpts from literary novels to explore the relationship between empathy with fictional characters and neural mirroring mechanisms.
Source: Oxford University Press eBooks
Authors: Zanna Clay, Marco Iacoboni
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2186899227