Intuitive sense not only underpins our understanding of the real world but also helps inform us of the fictional worlds we create.
When it comes to fiction and entertainment, people find more enjoyment in seeing a villain receive punishment than be forgiven.
In fiction, people are more likely to recall the deaths of characters perceived as "meaningful", rather than ones they considered to be "pleasurable".
Using characters from "Game of Thrones", researchers investigated what happens in the brain when people immerse themselves in fiction. The study found the more people became immersed in a story, the more they "became" the fictional character while reading. This was reflected in activity changes in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain associated with thinking about one's self.
Whether you are a fan of War and Peace, or would rather immerse yourself in romantic fiction, researchers say the more you read, the better your verbal skills. The study reports those who read fiction for leisure score higher on language tests than those who read to simply access specific information.
