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Being able to understand what other people are feeling is critical for building social
relationships. So even though reading is a solitary activity, it could improve your social life.
Another recent study, from the University of Münster, identified a separate social aspect of
reading. "Heavy book users-those who get through at least 18 books per year-flaunt their
books in public or on living-room bookshelves as a way of communicating something about
themselves in an effort to "shape identity and self-expression," the authors wrote. This can take
the form of differentiating oneself from others or relating to members of the same in-group.
Reading can also create an actual social bond between the reader and the characters-studies
have found that fans of any fictional enterprise (not just books but TV series too) can feel real
grief when a favorite character dies. The friendship is imaginary, but the emotional attachment is
real-and it can have real-life implications. A 2012 study at the Ohio State University had
registered undergraduates read different versions of a story in which the protagonist overcomes
challenges in order to vote-like car troubles, bad weather and long lines. Those who read a
version that led them to identify strongly with the character were more likely to vote in the real
election a few days later-65% of them said they voted, compared with 29% who read a less
relatable version of the story. In a small way, at least, reading affected their behavior. Sumerize