Lecture on Relationships with Fictional Characters

Introduction

• Speaker lives a double life as a Psychology Professor and a fiction writer.
• Focus: Relationships people form with fictional characters.

Harry Potter Engagement Study

• Assumptions for conservative estimate of engagement:
  • Total number of books sold but only half read.
  • Books not read twice or shared.
  • Books read in 3 hours, solely watched in theaters.
• Conclusion: 235,000 years of man-hours spent on Harry Potter.

Questions in Psychology of Fiction

1. Why do people invest time, money, and emotion in fiction?
2. Effects of engaging with fiction?

Relationships with Fictional Characters

• Reading is about spending time with characters (e.g., Harry, Ron, Hermione).
• Parasocial Relationships: Relationships with characters or real people we don't know.
  • Example: Following celebrities on social media.

Concept of A-leaf

• Philosophical concept by Tamar Gindler.
• Belief vs. a-leaf: Gut-level, subconscious belief-like feeling.
  • E.g., Knowing fictional characters aren’t real but subconsciously feeling they are.

Effects of Parasocial Relationships

• Self-esteem and Social Rejection:
  • J.L. Derrick: Parasocial relationships buffer against losses of self-esteem and social rejection.
• Cognitive Tasks:
  • Gardner & N. S.: Exposure to favorite characters enhances performance similar to real friends.

Fictional Grief Study

• Study on grief over fictional character vs. real-world acquaintance.
  • Participants more grief-stricken over fictional deaths.
  • Female participants showed significantly more grief for fictional characters.

Implications of Fictional Grief

• Fan Activism:
  • Example: Harry Potter Alliance turns readers into heroes.
• Empathy:
  • Fiction may increase empathy, understanding others’ emotions and mental states.

Potential Downsides

• Representation:
  • Overrepresentation of certain demographics affects perceived social circle.
• Treatment of Celebrities/Politicians:
  • Reality vs. fiction in treating public figures.

Call to Action

• Be mindful of media consumption and perceived social circles.
• Translate love for fictional stories into real-world action.