Tuesday, September 29, 2026
Science

The novel on your nightstand may be doing more for your empathy and cognitive health than you think

A popular narrative across Instagram Reels, business podcasts and magazine covers is that people who are smart and serious about growth read nonfiction. Nonfiction directly provides factual information and real-world knowledge, whereas fiction, like novels and poetry, is treated as a less practical...

The novel on your nightstand may be doing more for your empathy and cognitive health than you think
Image: Phys.org
A popular narrative across Instagram Reels, business podcasts and magazine covers is that people who are smart and serious about growth read nonfiction. Nonfiction directly provides factual information and real-world knowledge, whereas fiction, like novels and poetry, is treated as a less practical cousin. Now, a recent study has asked whether fiction really is just entertainment.

Originally published at Phys.org

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