Ever wondered about the psychology of literature or stories? Or how a certain narrative might change our attitude or perspective?This free course, What happens to you when you read? explores our relationship with books and the ways in which engaging with fiction in particular can change readers. Research shows that as well as providing us with a form of entertainment, the activity of reading can bring benefits to our wellbeing in challenging times. People have experienced and explored these benefits throughout history.A good story can entertain us, develop our creativity and imagination, and transport us to different fictional worlds, but it can change us psychologically as well.TranscriptAs you work your way through this course, you will have the chance to participate in both reading and writing activities and experience for yourself what happens to you when you read.
Overview
Syllabus
- Introduction
- Learning outcomes
- 1 Stories: what do you remember?
- 1 Stories: what do you remember?
- 1.1 The order of a story
- 2 The benefits of being a bookworm
- 2 The benefits of being a bookworm
- 3 The experience of reading
- 3 The experience of reading
- 4 Empathy
- 4 Empathy
- 5 What happens to you as you read?
- 5 What happens to you as you read?
- 5.1 How do you relate to characters in a story?
- 5.2 Creative writing
- 6 Exploring the story world
- 6 Exploring the story world
- 7 How did you relate to the story world?
- 7 How did you relate to the story world?
- 7.1 Story world and genre
- 8 Transportation and empathy
- 8 Transportation and empathy
- 9 What did reading do to you?
- 9 What did reading do to you?
- 10 Reading throughout history
- 10 Reading throughout history
- 11 Therapeutic benefits of writing and reading
- 11 Therapeutic benefits of writing and reading
- Conclusion
- Where next?
- Glossary
- References
- Acknowledgements
