What happens in your brain while lost in fiction?

[Eldorado]

A new study from Ohio State University reveals what is going on inside of your brain when you get lost in a fictional fantasy. The experts discovered that the more immersed we become in the lives of our favorite characters of fiction, the more our brain activity reflects how much we identify with them.

“When they think about a favorite fictional character, it appears similar in one part of the brain as when they are thinking about themselves,” said study lead author Timothy Broom.

The research was focused on self-described fans of the HBO series “Game of Thrones.” The individuals were instructed to think about themselves, nine of their friends, and nine characters from the drama series. The participants also reported on which character they felt closest to and liked the most.

Full article at Earth dot com: Link

"Becoming the King in the North: identification with fictional characters is associated with greater self–other neural overlap"

OUP