The Experientiality of Narrative: An Enactivist Approach

doi:10.1515/9783110365658

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The Experientiality of Narrative: An Enactivist Approach

Book•DOI•

The Experientiality of Narrative: An Enactivist Approach

31 Jan 2014-Vol. 43

TL;DR: The authors studied the dynamics underlying readers' responses to narrative through close readings of literary texts and theoretical discussion in ways that shed light on the deep connection between narrative, literary fiction, and human experience.

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Abstract: How do readers experience literary narrative? Drawing on narrative theory, cognitive science, and the philosophy of mind, this book offers a principled account of the dynamics underlying readers' responses to narrative Through its interdisciplinary approach, this study combines close readings of literary texts and theoretical discussion in ways that shed light on the deep connection between narrative, literary fiction, and human experience

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Book Chapter•DOI•

Being There: Foundations, Theory, Method

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Carol M. Worthman

30 Sep 2020

20 citations

Journal Article•DOI•

Empathy at the confluence of neuroscience and empirical literary studies

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Michael Burke¹, Anežka Kuzmičová², Anne Mangen³, Theresa Schilhab⁴•Institutions (4)

University College Roosevelt¹, Stockholm University², University of Stavanger³, Aarhus University⁴

01 Dec 2016-The Scientific Study of Literature

TL;DR: This article reviewed empirical studies of empathy in narrative reading in light of contemporary literary theory and neuroscientific studies, and discussed how a closer interplay between neuroscience and literary studies may enhance our understanding of empathy.

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Abstract: The objective of this article is to review extant empirical studies of empathy in narrative reading in light of (a) contemporary literary theory, and (b) neuroscientific studies of empathy, and to discuss how a closer interplay between neuroscience and literary studies may enhance our understanding of empathy in narrative reading. An introduction to some of the philosophical roots of empathy is followed by tracing its application in contemporary literary theory, in which scholars have pursued empathy with varying degrees of conceptual precision, often within the context of embodied/enactive cognition. The presentation of empirical literary studies of empathy is subsequently contextualized by an overview of psychological and neuroscientific aspects of empathy. Highlighting points of convergence and divergence, the discussion illustrates how findings of empirical literary studies align with recent neuroscientific research. The article concludes with some prospects for future empirical research, suggesting that digitization may contribute to advancing the scientific knowledge of empathy in narrative reading.

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20 citations

Cites background from "The Experientiality of Narrative: A..."

...Caracciolo (2014b) is also the literary theorist to explicitly tackle the relationships between embodiment, enaction, and empathy in the narrow sense (pp. 129–132)....
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...Finally, the question of personal relevance, in the sense of a productive match between a text’s topic and a reader’s previous life experience, is relatively underexplored in empirical literary studies despite its prominence in relevant theoretical writing (Caracciolo, 2014b; Keen, 2006, 2007)....
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...plored in empirical literary studies despite its prominence in relevant theoretical writing (Caracciolo, 2014b; Keen, 2006, 2007)....
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...On the cline from word to paragraph level, the typical features of consciousness-focused narration range from the use of certain pronouns and verbs of experiencing, through expressive punctuation and experiential metaphors, to internal focalization (Caracciolo, 2014b, pp. 104–109, 125–129)....
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...…as transparent as possible (Jajdelska et al., 2010; Kuzmičová, 2012), there is also a substantial argument toward the view that empathy may be enhanced (Caracciolo, 2014b; Kimmel, 2011), or even preconditioned (Miall & Kuiken, 1999), by defamiliarization and foregrounding (e.g., novel metaphors)....
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