Reading Books and Reading Minds: Differential Effects of Wonder and The Crossover on Empathy and Theory of Mind

Abstract

We tested sixth graders for empathy and theory of mind before and after an academic unit on either Wonder or The Crossover. Wonder was associated with improved perspective-taking; students who read The Crossover increased in concern for others. Faux pas detection increased in both genders with Wonder, and in girls with The Crossover. Students who read The Crossover in print showed improved understanding of facial expressions, while students who used iPads declined. Young adult fiction is associated with improved social cognitive skills, but effects depend on gender and reading format, as well as on the choice of individual book.

“It Was a Real Eye-Opener”: Supporting Adolescent Mental Health Literacy Through Contemporary Young Adult Literature

“…Oliver and Sapey's social model of disability (1999), is fundamental to the view that mental ill-health, due to its socially restrictive nature, should be viewed as a social problem that can be ameliorated through education, attitudinal change and social adjustment (Mertens et al, 2011). Empirical studies show behavioural change after reading fictional literature including increased empathy and pro-social behaviours as well as improved social cognitive skills (Deshpande, 2012;Guarisco et al, 2017;Johnson, 2012). According to Chance (2014), narratives that are well-written, complex stories and that reflect the lives of today's adolescents provide readers with an authentic reflection of the world many now inhabit.…”

Experiencing literature on the e‐reader: the effects of reading narrative texts on screen

“…They found that the reading medium does not affect transportation when reading a modern story, but that transportation is disturbed when reading a traditional story digitally. Further, while the general interest in the text does not seem to depend on the reading medium (Grimshaw, Dungworth, McKnight, & Morris, 2007; Moyer, 2011), the effect of the reading medium on empathy and theory of mind are also ambiguous (Mangen & Kuiken, 2014; Guarisco et al, 2017). Kaakinen et al (2018), however, concluded that far too little is known about the emotional and cognitive aspects of digital reading.…”

“…The vast majority of studies addressing differential outcomes of reading in print versus reading on screen has focused on informational texts such as school books or expository texts and on the effects on a reader's understanding of such texts. Apart from a number of notable exceptions (e.g., Guarisco, Brooks, & Freeman, 2017; Haddock, Foad, Saul, Brown, & Thompson, 2019; Mangen, Olivier, & Velay, 2019), the literature so far has neglected (1) the reception of narrative and fictional e‐books for leisure reading and (2) the potential effects of digital reading on a broader conception of the reading experience. While informational texts may be primarily concerned with generating understanding of the information presented, we argue that reading literature during leisure time is about more than just text comprehension.…”

Literatur am Bildschirm

“…Die einzigen Wissenschaftler*innen, die ihre Testpersonen teilweise selbst wählen ließen, welches von zwei vorher ausgewählten Büchern und ob sie dieses analog oder auf einem iPad lesen wollten, waren Guarisco, Brooks und Freeman (2017, 29ff) 23 . Sie gingen davon aus, dass sie auf diese Weise am besten untersuchen könnten, wie sich das Lesen von erzählerischen Texten auf die Theory of Mind und die Empathiefähigkeit von Schüler*innen auswirken.…”