Mental Simulation during Literary Reading

Abstract

Readers experience a number of sensations during reading. They do not - or do not only - process words and sentences in a detached, abstract manner. Instead they “perceive” what they read about. They see descriptions of scenery, feel what characters feel, and hear the sounds in a story. These sensations tend to be grouped under the umbrella terms “mental simulation” and “mental imagery.” This chapter provides an overview of empirical research on the role of mental simulation during literary reading. Our chapter also discusses what mental simulation is and how it relates to mental imagery. Moreover, it explores how mental simulation plays a role in leading models of literary reading and investigates under what circumstances mental simulation occurs during literature reading. Finally, the effect of mental simulation on the literary reader’s experience is discussed, and suggestions and unresolved issues in this field are formulated.

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