Connecting With Fictional Characters: The Power of Books

Charlotte Webber; Katherine  Wilkinson; Lynne G. Duncan; Sarah P. McGeown

doi:10.3389/frym.2022.658925

Connecting With Fictional Characters: The Power of Books

Charlotte Webber (Lead / Corresponding author), Katherine Wilkinson, Lynne G. Duncan, Sarah P. McGeown

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

834 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Books have the power to take us on great adventures, immerse us in fantasy worlds, change our points of view, scare us, and make us laugh or cry. The characters bring the stories to life and join us on the journeys through the pages of our favorite reads. But have you ever thought about what might be happening in our brains when we let Harry Potter or Bella Swan take us on a fictional adventure? Psychologists have come up with some ingenious techniques to measure how we connect with characters in books, and they are still discovering how fictional characters might help us better understand ourselves and others. By conjuring up vivid images of different characters and letting us connect or empathize with them, books help us explore our own identities and put ourselves in other people’s shoes. Our favorite characters really can take us on the most incredible journeys!

Original language	English
Article number	658925
Number of pages	8
Journal	Frontiers for Young Minds
Volume	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3389/frym.2022.658925
Publication status	Published - 25 Apr 2022

Keywords

reading acquisition
Reading motivation
adolescence
psychological wellbeing
identity
fiction
book reading
youth empowerment

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.3389/frym.2022.658925Licence: CC BY

Final Published VersionFinal published version, 874 KBLicence: CC BY

2 Other contribution
1 Article
1 Preprint

Motivating book reading during adolescence: qualitative insights from adolescents
Webber, C., Wilkinson, K., Duncan, L. G. & McGeown, S. (Lead / Corresponding author), 2025, In: Educational Research. 67, 1, p. 79-97 19 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
3 Citations (Scopus)

23 Downloads (Pure)
Young people’s reading project: understanding the teenage reading experience: Phase 2 – conversations with young people about their reading experiences
Webber, C., Wilkinson, K., Duncan, L. G. & McGeown, S., 1 Mar 2022, OSF Registries : Open Science Framework (OSF).
Research output: Other contribution

Open Access
Reading and literacy interventions for improving reading and motivation in adolescence: a narrative review
Webber, C. (Lead / Corresponding author), Wilkinson, K., Duncan, L. G. & McGeown, S., 18 Nov 2021, OSF Preprints: Open Science Framework (OSF), 51 p.
Research output: Working paper/Preprint › Preprint

Open Access
File
257 Downloads (Pure)

1 Funding - grants and income which support research related activities

SGSSS Open Collaborative Studentship Competition
Webber, C. E. (Recipient), McGeown, S. P. (Supervisor), Duncan, L. (Supervisor) & Wilkinson, K. (Supervisor)
1 Oct 2020 → 31 Jul 2024
Activity: Other activity types › Funding - grants and income which support research related activities

Cite this

@article{9efb6dfe96cd46d78061371913fa83fc,

title = "Connecting With Fictional Characters: The Power of Books",

abstract = "Books have the power to take us on great adventures, immerse us in fantasy worlds, change our points of view, scare us, and make us laugh or cry. The characters bring the stories to life and join us on the journeys through the pages of our favorite reads. But have you ever thought about what might be happening in our brains when we let Harry Potter or Bella Swan take us on a fictional adventure? Psychologists have come up with some ingenious techniques to measure how we connect with characters in books, and they are still discovering how fictional characters might help us better understand ourselves and others. By conjuring up vivid images of different characters and letting us connect or empathize with them, books help us explore our own identities and put ourselves in other people{\textquoteright}s shoes. Our favorite characters really can take us on the most incredible journeys!",

keywords = "reading acquisition, Reading motivation, adolescence, psychological wellbeing, identity, fiction, book reading, youth empowerment",

author = "Charlotte Webber and Katherine Wilkinson and Duncan, {Lynne G.} and McGeown, {Sarah P.}",

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doi = "10.3389/frym.2022.658925",

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T1 - Connecting With Fictional Characters: The Power of Books

AU - Webber, Charlotte

AU - Wilkinson, Katherine

AU - Duncan, Lynne G.

AU - McGeown, Sarah P.

PY - 2022/4/25

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N2 - Books have the power to take us on great adventures, immerse us in fantasy worlds, change our points of view, scare us, and make us laugh or cry. The characters bring the stories to life and join us on the journeys through the pages of our favorite reads. But have you ever thought about what might be happening in our brains when we let Harry Potter or Bella Swan take us on a fictional adventure? Psychologists have come up with some ingenious techniques to measure how we connect with characters in books, and they are still discovering how fictional characters might help us better understand ourselves and others. By conjuring up vivid images of different characters and letting us connect or empathize with them, books help us explore our own identities and put ourselves in other people’s shoes. Our favorite characters really can take us on the most incredible journeys!

AB - Books have the power to take us on great adventures, immerse us in fantasy worlds, change our points of view, scare us, and make us laugh or cry. The characters bring the stories to life and join us on the journeys through the pages of our favorite reads. But have you ever thought about what might be happening in our brains when we let Harry Potter or Bella Swan take us on a fictional adventure? Psychologists have come up with some ingenious techniques to measure how we connect with characters in books, and they are still discovering how fictional characters might help us better understand ourselves and others. By conjuring up vivid images of different characters and letting us connect or empathize with them, books help us explore our own identities and put ourselves in other people’s shoes. Our favorite characters really can take us on the most incredible journeys!

KW - reading acquisition

KW - Reading motivation

KW - adolescence

KW - psychological wellbeing

KW - identity

KW - fiction

KW - book reading

KW - youth empowerment

U2 - 10.3389/frym.2022.658925

DO - 10.3389/frym.2022.658925

M3 - Review article

SN - 2296-6846

VL - 10

JO - Frontiers for Young Minds

JF - Frontiers for Young Minds

M1 - 658925

ER -

Connecting With Fictional Characters: The Power of Books

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Research output

Motivating book reading during adolescence: qualitative insights from adolescents

Young people’s reading project: understanding the teenage reading experience: Phase 2 – conversations with young people about their reading experiences

Reading and literacy interventions for improving reading and motivation in adolescence: a narrative review

Activities

SGSSS Open Collaborative Studentship Competition

Cite this