Art films foster theory of mind

Research shows that reading literary but not popular fiction enhances Theory of Mind (ToM). This study tests whether exposure to art films, but not Hollywood films, similarly enhances ToM. Participants (N=232) were randomly assigned to view either art or Hollywood films, answered questions about the film and its characters, and then completed two ToM measures (Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test, RMET; Moral Judgment Task, MJS). Art film viewers scored higher on both ToM measures. The effect was sequentially mediated by perceptions of character complexity and predictability. Findings are discussed within the growing literature on how fiction impacts social cognition.

Emanuele Castano