What genre should you read?

Removing non-fiction as an option, which of course effects you in a more obvious manner. You read them to be more informed. What I’m really curious about, is how literature fiction effects someone? And whether or not genre matters? Does a different genre mean a different outcome?

Many studies show reading improves Theory of Mind. Theory of Mind is the ability to understand other peoples beliefs and desires. Being able to read their intentions and emotion regardless how they differ from your own.

“Recent research in psychology suggests that readers make good citizens because reading may improve one’s ability to empathize with and understand the thoughts and feelings of other people. Readers of fiction score higher on measures of empathy and theory of mind than non-readers, even after controlling for age, gender, intelligence and personality factors”

Reading fiction and reading minds: the role of simulation in the default network Open Access

Diana I. Tamir , Andrew B. Bricker , David Dodell-Feder , Jason P. Mitchell

Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, Volume 11, Issue 2

In this study, participants were reading passages from novels, books, magazines, self help books etc. while undergoing an fMRI scan. The results showed the brain regions responded to ‘The vividness with which passages described physical scenes and events’ and ‘Whether or not they described a person or person’s mental content.’

If this content were to be in any books, it’d be more prominent in fiction. Where we step inside the the main characters and their world, imagining what it’s like as we traverse their story. Stories that provide emotional, social and psychological obstacles.

These all link towards social-cognitive abilities such as ToM. The ability developed because it’s exercised through reading fiction. Your pattern recognition gets a strong work out, and you begin to learn all the knowledge and skills that come with it. All this leaning is disguised as fun play rather than education.

So what genre?

So this is the question, is the genre we’re reading giving us these benefits? Well fortunately, there was a study on this also.

“Participants completed a survey that included a lifetime print-exposure measure along with an interpersonal sensitivity task. Some, but not all, fiction genres were related to higher scores on our measure of interpersonal sensitivity. Furthermore, after controlling for personality, gender, age, English fluency, and exposure to nonfiction, only the Romance and Suspense/Thriller genres remained significant predictors of interpersonal sensitivity.”

What you read matters: The role of fiction genre in predicting interpersonal sensitivity.

By Fong, Katrina,Mullin, Justin B.,Mar, Raymond A.

Good news to those thrill seekers and romworms (last one is not really a word, but I’ll make it so.) The social politics that come with these genres must enhance it somewhat significantly. Yet I imagine sci-fi and fantasy has some great benefits. With the amount of imagination you must use to accommodate the reading experience.

Navigating so many characters in a romance, trying to understand their motives and personalities to predict what they’re going to do. Will the girl say yes to the confession? Why is this character being self-destructive? All webs weaved into a narrative requiring you to do some work. These reps of emotional intelligence build your mental faculties into a sturdy construction.

Thrillers demand you to problem solve. Especially murder mysteries with a whodunnit theme, you try to connect the dots. Moving puzzle pieces in hopes to fit them all in place. Guessing what will happen next in a suspenseful series. Looking out for potential dangers or flags that raise your alarm or suspicion.

Even if romance and thrillers apparently give a more chance to increase certain skills and abilities. It shouldn’t mean we only read those genres. After all, having a varied pallet will definitely broaden your perspective. Plus, the mind can be a fickle thing. We may be at it’s whimsy when it desires to taste a specific meal of a novel.

It’s important to read what you find interesting and motivated to read, because it’s suppose to be enjoyable. Reading fiction regardless will increase these skills anyway. You don’t have to maximise your gains if it leads to a slogfest. Hight and low, explore it all.