Research suggests that the fiction genres people choose to read may reflect their underlying personality traits and existential anxieties.
Key facts
- •Edgar Dubourg is a cognitive scientist at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris.
- •Dr. Valerie van Mulukom is a senior lecturer in psychology at Oxford Brookes University.
- •Experts suggest that fiction engages pre-existing human instincts and motivations.
- •Research indicates that book choices can subconsciously reveal sources of pleasure and emotion.
- •Existential insecurities are believed to influence the specific books readers choose from a shelf.
A cognitive scientist and a psychology lecturer suggest that book selections are not random and may serve as a map of an individual's personality. According to experts, reading fiction can engage deep-seated instincts and motivations rather than creating entirely new emotions.
The Psychology of Reading Choices
Edgar Dubourg, a cognitive scientist at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, states that reading lists reflect personality traits. He notes that when readers choose genres like thrillers, romance, horror, or science fiction, they are engaging intuitive and ancient parts of the brain.
Anxiety and Book Selection
Research by Dr. Valerie van Mulukom, a senior lecturer in psychology at Oxford Brookes University, suggests that existential insecurities play a role in determining which books individuals select. Studies indicate that these choices can subconsciously reveal what provides a reader with pleasure and emotional response.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by BBC Health.
