It is often argued that narratives improve social cognition, either by appealing to social-
cognitive abilities as we engage with the story world and its characters, or by conveying …

Electronic copy available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1427409 Electronic copy available at:
https://ssrn.com/abstract=1427409 Page 1 Electronic copy available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1427409 …

Does empathy felt while reading fiction actually cultivate a sense of connection, leading to
altruistic actions on behalf of real others? Empathy and the Novel presents a comprehensive …

We are living in a time when the activation of mirror neurons in the brains of onlookers can
be recorded as they witness another's actions and emotional reac tions. 1 Contemporary …

Blakey Vermeule wonders how readers become involved in the lives of fictional characters,
people they know do not exist. Vermeule examines the ways in which readers' experiences …

Texture represents the latest advance in cognitive poetics. This book builds feeling and
embodied experience on to the insights into meaningfulness which the cognitive approach …

In recent years, the study of unnatural narrative has developed into one of the most exciting
new paradigms in narrative theory. Both younger and more established scholars have …

Drawing on the explosion of academic and public interest in cognitive science in the past
two decades, this volume features articles that combine literary and cultural analysis with …

Combining cognitive and evolutionary research with traditional humanist methods, Nancy
Easterlin demonstrates how a biocultural perspective in theory and criticism opens up new …

30 Volume 30, Issue 6• www. scienceartfestival. com• SKEPTICAL INQUIRER our
attributions frequently are, making them is the default way by which we construct and …