Eighteenth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between fiction and nonfiction reading, and factors that underlie critical thinking. Critical thinking is a factor of utmost importance in the current social and political climate of “fake news” (Batchelor, 2017). Previous research has shown that fiction reading is associated with greater interpersonal and imaginative simulation ability (Oatley, 2011), which may lead to better critical thinking. To critically evaluate arguments, one must imaginatively model the information presented and engage with the author’s point of view (Paul, 1981). It was therefore hypothesised that higher levels of fiction reading would correlate with higher critical thinking disposition, and with more sophisticated epistemological orientation. Data was gathered using an online questionnaire, including an author recognition test to measure print exposure (Mar and Rain, 2015), and self-report scales to measure the other variables of interest. Fiction scores were significantly different across critical thinking disposition levels, with higher fiction readers more likely to have higher critical thinking disposition. Nonfiction scores did not significantly predict any difference in critical thinking disposition. Higher fiction readers were more likely to be evaluativist than to be absolutist, while the opposite was found for nonfiction readers. These findings suggest that there is a distinct association between fiction and nonfiction reading and components of critical thinking, and that fiction reading may have a unique association with disposition to think critically, and with an approach to knowledge that is conducive of critical thinking. Fiction reading may therefore be associated with important individual differences in a critically thinking society.