1.The article aims to reach out to the general readers who have believed that reading can influence the cognitive and behavioral attributes of an individual, basically with reference to speech recognition and language development. As mentioned by the author it suggests that the brain can develop emotive feelings and thereby develop its imagination through reading a fiction. The evidence comes from various researches done all over the world by neuro scientists who have observed that the brain reacts to certain words and “metaphors” in a similar way when we are actually performing those actions in real life. Several journal like the “NeuroImage”, have published researches which prove that the sensory cortex responds to words that refer to senses or talk of odorous substances and not just the Broca’s area responsible for identifying languages.
2. The main purpose of the article is to identify the behaviour of the brain with respect to reading. The reaction of the human brain when it experiences certain words, phrases or metaphors is relative to its sensory reflex. This article has tried to validate that the brain does not perceive words or phrases as mere words rather reflects on the sense of the word or phrase. This has been substantiated over various research performed by neuroscientists attempting to understand the cognitive behaviour of the brain. The research by Dr. Oatley and Dr. Mar, reveals that individuals reading fictions, have better understanding of the world around them, of the people and their situations.A similar research was done in 2010 which revealed that reading stories to preschool age children enhances their thinking capacities (Mar, Tackett& Moore, 2010). The purpose of the research aims to understand the effect of fiction reading on the human brain and the way it manipulates the perception of the same.
3.
Main point / idea |
Keith Oatley, an emeritus professor of cognitive psychology at the University of Toronto has suggested that reading can simulate the reality and stated that “runs on minds of readers just as computer simulations run on computers.” |
Single phrase of the Idea |
Dr. Oatley has revealed that reading can produce a simulation of reality in the brain, and has compared that to the simulations of a computer programme. |
Citation |
(Oatley, 2006) |
4 and 5. Dr. Oatley has revealed that reading can produce a simulation of reality in the brain, and has compared that to the simulations of a computer programme (Oatley, 2006).
6. Support of the main idea put by the author are as follows”
- There is evidence that supports the brain portrays the depiction of smell, texture and movements in a vivid expression.
- Researchers have also observed that words that describe action or motion stimulate the regions of the brain that are different from areas of language processing.
- It has been inferred from research by Dr.Oatley that the brain, creates similar reactions while reading about an experience and practicing it in real life and for both the cases similar neurological regions are stimulated
(Mar&Oatley, 2008).
References
Mar, R. A., & Oatley, K. (2008). The function of fiction is the abstraction and simulation of social experience. Perspectives on psychological science, 3(3), 173-192.doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6924.2008.00073.x
Mar, R. A., Oatley, K., Hirsh, J., dela Paz, J., & Peterson, J. B. (2006). Bookworms versus nerds: Exposure to fiction versus non-fiction, divergent associations with social ability, and the simulation of fictional social worlds. Journal of research in personality, 40(5), 694-712.doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6924.2008.00073.x
Mar, R. A., Tackett, J. L., & Moore, C. (2010). Exposure to media and theory-of-mind development in preschoolers. Cognitive Development, 25(1), 69-78. doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2009.11.002