Finding Truth in Fiction

What Fan Culture Gets Right--and Why it's Good to Get Lost in a Story

Karen E. Dill-Shackleford and Cynthia Vinney

Argues that fictional stories act as a simulation for our social lives, helping us to define ourselves and our values
Explores the ways that incorporating fictional stories into our lives has psychological benefits
Celebrates the films, books, and television shows that are a part of our lives and discusses prominent fan groups such as Game of Thrones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Star Trek, among others

Finding Truth in Fiction

What Fan Culture Gets Right--and Why it's Good to Get Lost in a Story

Karen E. Dill-Shackleford and Cynthia Vinney

Description

In Finding Truth in Fiction, two media psychologists reveal that there's much more to our desire to seek out stories in film, TV, and books than simple diversion - fiction can help us find truth in our real lives. Whether you consider yourself a fan of popular media or whether you find yourself thinking of a particular fictional scene for inspiration, you are not alone.

Though some assume that interest in a fictional world is a sign of psychological trouble, the authors enthusiastically disagree. Because story worlds are simulations of our social world, we use them to make sense of our experiences and even decide what kind of people we want to be. This makes fiction far from trivial. By exploring our relationship with fictional stories and characters, the authors will examine how we create mental models in our minds so we can understand stories and characters and how we differentiate between the identities of characters and the actors who play them. What story arcs, such as the hero's journey, are we drawn to again and again? How do the moments that strike us as important in a story change as we age and move through different stages in our life?

Delving into these questions and many more, the authors conclude that being a fan is not just healthy, it's human.

Finding Truth in Fiction

What Fan Culture Gets Right--and Why it's Good to Get Lost in a Story

Karen E. Dill-Shackleford and Cynthia Vinney

Chapter 1. Finding Truth in Fiction
Chapter 2. It Matters: Finding Meaning in Stories
Chapter 3. On Actors and Their roles: The Social Psychology of Narrative Person Perception
Chapter 4. Mental Models of Fiction: The Mechanics of Getting Lost in a Story
Chapter 5. The Timelessness of Stories
Chapter 6. Story and Identity: How Stories Influence Who We Are
Chapter 7. Story and Life Stage: Turning to Stories Throughout Our Lives
Chapter 8. On Prejudice and Values
Epilogue. Coping, Well-being, and the Future of Fiction

Finding Truth in Fiction

What Fan Culture Gets Right--and Why it's Good to Get Lost in a Story

Karen E. Dill-Shackleford and Cynthia Vinney

Author Information

Karen E. Dill-Shackleford is a social psychologist who studies human relationships with fictional characters from film, television, and books. Her research explores the psychological processes that occur when we engage with fictional worlds and what we take away from those encounters. She has particular interests in the depiction of race and gender in popular culture fiction and in how meditation can help individuals cope with social issues. She is the author of How Fantasy Becomes Reality, co-author of Mad Men Unzipped, and editor of the Oxford Handbook of Media Psychology.

Cynthia Vinney is a freelance writer and independent researcher who studies how audiences understand, engage with, and respond to popular media. She has published and presented on the ways audiences make meaning from narrative fiction, how stories help fans cope with personal struggles, and the impact of media use on identity development during adolescence. She is co-author of the book Mad Men Unzipped.

Finding Truth in Fiction

What Fan Culture Gets Right--and Why it's Good to Get Lost in a Story

Karen E. Dill-Shackleford and Cynthia Vinney

Reviews and Awards

"Our involvement with media characters is hard to deny-we love them, we hate them, and we learn life lessons from them. This volume is an indispensable guidebook for understanding our fascination with the characters in narratives that populate our lives, that becomes our best friends, and that occupy our imaginations." -- Mary Beth Oliver, Professor of Media Studies, Penn State University

"What a wonderful read! This book is like a lively conversation with good friends-friends who just happen to be experts on the psychology of stories and their fans. Dill-Shackleford and Vinney share the latest research in an accessible, page-turning way, providing valuable insights into our relationships with beloved television shows, books, and movies." -- Melanie C. Green, Professor of Communication, The State University of New York at Buffalo

"From thinking how one might be a magical Harry Potter, or imagining a nervous visit to Rick's Bar in Casablanca, or entering the mind of Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, we can come to see how stories enable us to lead not one life but many, and even change within ourselves. In this worthwhile, engaging, and wide-ranging book, Dill-Shackleford and Vinney show us that stories don't just pass the time; in fact, they are more important than anyone might have thought." -- Keith Oatley, Author of Our Minds, Our Selves: A Brief History of Psychology

"A highly readable, yet knowledgeable, introduction to social science research on the role of stories from movies, TV, and books in peopleâs lives" -- Michael D. Slater, Social and Behavioral Sciences Distinguished Professor, The Ohio State University